The Jedi Order
by Tyridac
Summary: This is a story I have been kicking around in my head for quite some time now. It is about the Old Republic. I am just writing scenes as they come to me, so they may seem a little disjointed. If you have any questions feel free to ask me. Enjoy! R & R!
1. Prologue: The Finding of the Twins

The moment began like any other moment. Ithica watched as the front of the ship began to dip low in orbit. Around him klaxons blared and there were people shouting, none of this phased Ithica. He crawled forward. There was nothing on this bridge or on any other part of the ship that would stop him. Through the lights and noise he found him. Ithica's brother, Tyridac, lay on his side holding his head.

Tyridac was always so strong and to see him like this made Ithica even more determined. He and his brother had lived on the streets of Nar Shaddaa for the last three years of their lives. Relying on the bond that they shared as family. It was hard, no doubt, but it was all they had. With every bit of strength a 9 year-old could muster, he drew his brother close to him. There, amidst the chaos, he held his brother.

The ship was dropping through the atmosphere now. Ithica could feel the heat start to well up from beneath him, though he didn't understand why. Of all the ships in the Republic, the D-12 Cruiser was the least aerodynamic. An elongated oval shaped body with small fins protruding from each side. A short neck section that connected the command deck to the rest of the ship. The command deck was another story completely. It took a page from the Ithorians with a large, flat section that was inverted when compared to the rest of the ship. This gave it the apt nickname of "Hammer-head." As a warship, it was never meant to enter the atmosphere. If it didn't explode from the heat it would fly apart from the friction.

The noise came to a fever pitch as the panic started to settle in. Ithica couldn't discern where any single facet of sound was coming from; it all blended into one horrific maelstrom. Closing his eyes against his brother he began to scream. Ithica wasn't really sure what was happening, wasn't really sure why he screamed. It just seemed the right thing to do.

Out of all of the noise and the lights. Vandaar found them. He came running through the bridge, deftly avoiding the throng of screaming people. Ducking low against the twins as he scooped them up. Around him, the sounds of rending metal could be heard. He didn't have much time. With the twins tucked safely in each arm he began to move towards the back, trying with all of his might to think of a way out of this situation. None, however, presented themselves. Out of desperation, and quite possibly anger, he fumbled his light-saber from his waist. It was a long shot but it was the only shot he and the twins had.

He crouched low and spoke while projecting comforting thoughts to the twins. "I need you both to grab onto my back and hold on real tight." Vandaar always felt bad about projecting his thoughts into people, especially kids, but there would be time to feel sorry later.

The twins seemed to understand and soon they were both around his neck. They were squeezing so hard it was choking him but Vandaar didn't mind. If he were in their position he would have done the same. This brought a smile to his face as he ignited his light-saber, the brilliant gold blade fighting back the ghastly red shadows of the ships warning systems. With the skill that could only be attained from years of service to the Jedi, he cut the door from the bridge. First, he brought his saber up through the locking mechanism on the door. It met only slight resistance as the metal instantly began to boil. He then brought the saber out to his side, taking extra care to not carry out the arc that his training demanded. He rolled his shoulder and brought the saber over-head and down through the hinges in one fluid overhead motion.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion; the metal warped then buckled. The sudden decompression pulling at Vandaar. Were it not for the force he would have been swept out into the sky over Talus along with the door. He, however, did have the force. Taking a deep breath, remembering all that he had accomplished as a Jedi Knight, Vandaar released the barrier. All at once he was swept out of the ship into the night. Vandaar smiled as he fell towards the ground, having no idea what his next move was.


	2. Korin addresses the Council

"We wish to further understand your reasons." Master Vandaar leaned forward. He met Korin's gaze with an equal amount of strength. The two men held the look. Neither of them wanted to give ground in this, as it was quickly becoming, battle of wits.

Korin was the first to give. "I simply think this is a bad decision."

"And why is it a bad decision? That is what you haven't been telling us Korin." Vandaar sighed as he leaned back.

"We're on your side, Korin. Yet you refuse to expand on your reasons or your reasoning, for that matter."

Korin sighed this time. Vandaar was right, as usual. The members of the Jedi Council were looking for reasons and explanations. Explanations that Korin wasn't able to give at the moment. Reasons he didn't fully understand as of yet. "Alright. I will try to explain."

"Please do." It was Renbe'cul that spoke this time. Renbe'cul was the leader of the Council and a very impressive Jedi. He was a 67 year-old Twi'Lek Jedi that had been in the Order from birth. His dark green skin matched his even darker black eyes. His long face showed very little lines that were prevalent on most men his age. An even more amazing fact about this Jedi Master was he hadn't drawn his saber in 15 years. The rumor was that he had retired it after killing his Padawan; Dark Jedi were always such tragic stories.

"I just don't feel that splitting the twins up is what is needed at this moment. They are to emotionally fragile." Korin stopped. He was getting ahead of his thoughts. "I have been observing the twins as we have gone through daily training and it is my opinion that they are very dependent on each other. They have grown close and have a connection through the force that is the same as what Joran Bender and I share." Korin looked around the room, taking in the faces of the Jedi Masters present.

There was Master Vrool, The Gand. Then there was Master Jiigan and Caliil, the Mated Cathar Masters. After them sat Rul'cordan, another Twi'Lek Jedi Master. Then was Master Yokit, a young Whill. Young was used lightly in Yokit's case, the Jedi Whill was 535 years old and undoubtedly the most skilled with the use of the force. After the Whill was another oddity in the Grand Council, Master Kyle Adaffa.

Kyle had been a brash young Jedi pilot and an arrogant swordsman. He was assisting the Republic in securing refugees from a war-torn world when the Black Star pirates descended upon the party. After, what was rumored, a 22-hour fight with the pirates, Kyle Adaffa was beaten and left for dead. Laurune, responding to the distress call found Adaffa and took him to the Geonosians. Using their technology and their prowess in cybernetics, they repaired what they could of his body. Everything else was turned into a machine. Korin had never seen the rest of his body, save for Adaffa's head. He kept it hidden under layers of robes that no one ever got past.

Drawing himself up as straight as he could, Korin continued. "Their connection in the force is deep and it manifests itself in ways I can't put into good enough words to make you understand. I don't think that any of my training can help them let go of the emotions that will well up to the surface if they are split."

There was silence among the council members as they all considered what Korin had just said. It was a hard pill to swallow when the council had to consider the threat of the Dark Side. No one wanted to admit that even the greatest of teachers fail.

"This is why," Master Renbe'cul spoke, "we are going to turn Ithica over to the hands of an experienced teacher."

"Who?" Korin stared into the dark eyes of the Twi'Lek. "Who has enough experience and isn't tied down with another Padawan?" Korin already knew the answer. He didn't want to admit it. He didn't even want to think about the stories that he knew all to well.

"Master Laurune." Renbe spoke barely above a whisper.

Korin said nothing. His eyes fell from the Jedi Master and focused on the tile of the floor. He was kicking himself. If only he had tried a little harder. If only he had worked to please the council instead of his own ideas of how to train the twins.

"It isn't because of you, Korin." Vandaar tried to make eye contact with Korin's retreating eyes.

"The hell it isn't!" Korin swung his arm in anger. Tiny wisps of disturbed air batted against the two Cathar Jedi. "This is because I have failed in some way or another and you just won't admit it."

"Careful." Adaffa focused his cold eyes on Korin. Tiny servos working underneath his skin as the replacement vocabulator croaked out words for him. The metallic tones sounded like he was speaking through a metal tube. This probably wasn't far from the truth. "Do not think that the Council wishes you ill, young one."

Korin winced. He hated to be called that. All of the pent up emotions he was carrying came welling to the surface. He stopped himself, as one thought poured through his mind. There is no passion.

"I apologize." Korin said more coldly than what he intended. "I need to submit myself to the will of the Council. I will accept this wisdom."

"Then the Council can ask no more of you." Adaffa finished. There was silence that followed as the members slowly filed out. Adaffa stopped briefly to lay a scarred hand on Korin's shoulder. He said nothing, simply a knowing touch. Korin gathered more from that contact than he could from a month of discussion. The contact soothed Korin's nerves.

After all but Vandaar and Renbe'cul had exited, Korin took his leave. The two Elder Jedi were speaking softly. The Twi'Lek's lekku were twitching wildly. Vandaar was taking in the small actions of the tentacles and responding to them. Korin was amazed by this; few outside of the Twi'Lek race could ever hope understanding the twitching language.

Korin exited the Council Chamber and started wandering around the Dantooine temple. The pleasant noises and smells filled his nostrils and helped him deal with the confusion he felt inside his mind. Dantooine was never a quiet place and if one listened, one would hear the heartbeat of the planet coming from every animal. The heartbeat of a world virtually untouched by the Republic.

Korin ran his hands across the rough cut stone on the walls and basked in the dim light. A few Padawans raced around the corner ahead of him, their master close on their heels. They scrambled past Korin and brought a smile to his face. The temple was always full of activity.

Korin wasn't really sure where his feet were taking him. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to go where they led. He simply took each step one at a time. Soon he found himself at the top of the stairwell leading to the observation room at the peak of the temple. Korin eased himself down on the steps and stared down the stairwell where he had just come from. This place was where he used to go as a kid. Late at night, while everyone slept, Korin was usually deep in thought. He never allowed himself to go very long without falling into a deep trance of thought.

Behind him, there was a short hiss of motion as the door to the observation room opened. There were no footsteps but Korin could feel the Jedi Knight approach him. Korin could always feel those that were brimming with the force so wildly that it threatened to burst out violently. They were the ones that were the most interesting to Korin. Trin was one of those people.

"Hello, my brother." Trin hissed out. The Twi'Lek spoke in very hushed tones as he glided down next to Korin. He was using the force to aid his movements, almost as if mocking Korin with his mastery of the technique. "Are you busy?"

"No, nothing that can't be postponed." Korin turned and took in the sight of the Knight before him.

Trin always had a flare for the theatrical. He wore the darkest clothes he could get his hands on to contrast the fact that his skin was almost white. He wore his naturally long Twi'Lek fingernails long and sharp. He always hid his eyes deep in the hood of his cloak. The twin red orbs stared out and bore into all that fell in his gaze.

"What is on your mind?" Korin asked.

"Am I that transparent?" Trin turned slowly to meet Korin's gaze. "I would like to believe that I can hide better than that."

"You're always easy to read when you're focused on something. I've noticed that about you." Korin chuckled. "When you fight you're emotions are so close to the surface that I can't help but study you."

Trin smiled; a trite expression if ever there was one. "Right you are, friend."

"So what's up?"

"I'm leaving."

Korin couldn't speak. If you had asked him a moment earlier, Trin's response would have been the last one he expected. It his Korin like a ton of ferro and left him stunned.

"W-what?" Korin stammered.

"I'm leaving. The Jedi Order holds nothing more for me." Trin looked off, as if he was seeking something.

"Where will you go?"

"Don't know. I don't necessarily care." Trin focused back to Korin. "I wanted you to know." He gathered up his cloak. "If you need a place, you have one with me. It is a tough burden you carry with that power." Trin stood and began walking down the steps.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Korin stared after the Knight that was walking out on the Order- the family that he had known for years.

Without turning back to the Jedi Knight, Trin spoke in the dim light. "Korin, you will soon realize that all of the pretexts we cling to mean nothing when considered against the grand scope of the Force. We have no right to deny that which makes us strong. You deny it simply because you are scared of it. I say embrace your power, my friend. It makes you a greater Jedi than those even on the Council." Trin began walking again. "When you're ready to believe that, you know where to find me."

"No I don't." Korin shouted down the hall.

"Yes you do, you're power makes that possible." Trin disappeared into the night.

Korin stared down at the marble steps. He didn't know how Trin found out about his power. He didn't even know if that same power would help him in the days to come.

No one saw the tears fall from Korin's eyes as he sat in the dark hallway.

Thousands of light years away, Captain Kiska mounted the last few steps that lead to the bridge. He yawned and tried to make his eyes focus. The new schedule he was implementing was proving to be a harder adjustment than he initially planned.

The entire Rim Operation was taxing to the Republic forces that were carrying it out. Reports of ships that had to return to outposts for R&R after only a month of duty made he and his crew long for a break. They had been out here for more than 7 months.

The door to the bridge slid open and Kiska entered. The lights of the bridge were always dim and grim shadows played all over the walls of the control deck. Kiska didn't like the new layout of the D-15 bridge. It felt like everything was too forward and it didn't offer any place for the Captain to effectively command. The Hammerhead style was getting old.

"Any problems, Lieutenant?" Kiska stood in the middle of the deck. Higher than his Lieutenant pilot. Kiska couldn't help but like where he stood. Power always appealed to men like Kiska.

"No sir." The young Lieutenant rolled his eyes. Over the past months he had grown to hate these little updates. Everyone on the crew found Kiska to be a little pompous but he was still a good commander. He could see problems and intercept them before they became crisis.

"Look alive everyone!" Kiska addressed everyone on the bridge. "We're out here to do a job and we can't let personal fatigue get in the way of that." He looked to everyone on the bridge. "Right?"

Many of the crewmembers responded. A few of the more bedraggled ones simply nodded. Some members of this crew had pulled 32-hour days over the past few months. Everything was hard in deep space.

"Good." Kiska took a seat at one of the free command consoles. "Let's get to work."

Kiska's ship, the _Hindsight_, was out here to help police the rim and catch pirates. More specifically, they were at this point in space to investigate a mysterious Ion trail. They had originally caught the trail when they were working their way through the Tatoo system. Now, as they neared the Callist system, they were closing in. Kiska was a little concerned though.

When they had picked up the trail, it was more than a day old but still had the flare of a ship as big as the _Hindsight. _That meant they were dealing with a convoy of ships. If Kiska had more time, he would call in some reinforcements. Time, so it seemed, was a commodity that very few on the Rim had.

"The Ion trail is dissipating fast, Cap." The female science officer said. Her long black hair was matted against her forehead and her voice cracked a little while she spoke.

"Make your best guess, Liil." Kiska began to look at the information that scrolled across his screen. The readout showed mostly small information; current temperature, what was being served in the galley, who was sick. It was all pretty general information. Kiska was snapped out of his reverie by a sharp tone.

Everyone on the bridge was stunned and for a moment, no one knew where the tone had come from. Soon it was apparent as the tactical officer's fingers played across the console. The Bothan worked fast as his head twitched. No one waited for him to report as they all gasped. What was filling the view-panel told them everything.

At first, Kiska thought it was a trick. Some odd joke played by one of the members of his crew. That soon dissolved as every instrument on the bridge started to go crazy. Klaxons blared, consoles beeped, and a droid or two tooled in the corner. The bridge was filled with the sounds of warning.

"Transmit friendly." Kiska said. No one on the bridge moved.

Outside of the _Hindsight_ the ship loomed there. It was huge, far bigger than the D-15 Cruiser. It had to measure about a Kilometer long. It was bright silver with small black lines that concealed the deadly turbo-lasers hidden within. It was triangular in design, like a big black fang against the black curtain of the stars. Though it looked angular it was very smooth and it's lines seemed blended in with the overall feel the ship was supposed to convey. It looked like a beautiful killing machine. Like a gilded sword, pretty, but deadly.

"Transmit friendly!" Kiska yelled now. The bridge crew snapped into action. The comm relays began to transmit and were immediately shut down. They were being jammed.

"Captain I'm reading massive energy build up in the forward section!" The tactical Bothan screamed out.

"Take evasive actio-" Kiska never finished his sentence as the first blast tore into the bridge. The red bolt of energy boiled through the transparasteel and instantly vaporized the occupants of the bridge. Around the smoking wound, durasteel peeled back; like skin pealing away from a burn.

The next few salvos slammed into the ship and melted away bulkheads and burned through windows and people alike. One lucky blast tore through the engine and ignited the plasma stores. In another instant the _Hindsight _flew apart in a fantastic explosion. The blast caressing the unknown ship like a dying breath caresses its killer.

Krii'nek sat bolt upright in his bed. His mind ripped from the blissful slumber by a sudden sense within the force. His body writhed off of the uncomfortable Sullustian bed. The Jedi Watchman sprinted to the window of the room and looked into the sky. The small red moon, the stars, all was well in the Sullustian sky.

Krii'nek sighed. He didn't know why he was awoken. He didn't know why he had run to the window. He just knew his Bothan muscles were twitching rapidly. His sense within the Force was telling him that something was terribly wrong.

Reaching out with the force, he drew his saber from across the room into his hand. The black, 30-centimeter long shaft slipped into his nimble hands, settling comfortably into his grip. Something was going to happen to the planet he was responsible for. Something that no saber would be able to stop. Krii'nek hoped that his power with the Force would stop it.


	3. Tyridac and Ithica split Near beginning

It was lightly raining when Tyridac and Ithica went to the Star-Port. The soft rain of Courascant washed over the twins as they splashed down the wide walkway. They had risen from their sleep and lazily prepared for the day. All of their clothes and personal affects had been packed away into cargo that the droids of the temple had been kind enough to load while they slept. Tyridac slept through the night dreamless. Ithica was racked with dreams that were anything but pleasant. He shuddered as he banished the thought to the back of his mind.

As they crested the ramp the Fearless Ral and the Viller came into their sight. Korin's ship, the Fearless Ral, was a modified troop transport, nothing more than a large box with wings. A large transparasteel dome housed the cockpit and allowed for as much visibility as was possible in a ship like that. Korin's ship looked a little ungainly but when you were flying in space aerodynamics weren't that much of an issue.

A contrast to the flying box that was Korin's ship was Laurune's. The ship was a sleek two passenger personal craft. Like most ships from Naboo, the Viller was brilliant silver. When the sun would peak through the clouds a harsh glare would bounce off the surface. The ship was shaped like a spearhead that belayed the fact that there were actually two decks to the ship. When the hatch was closed it was as if the ship had no manmade facets; as if it was all struck from one piece of metal. The ship was held aloft by three impossibly small tines that stuck out in a triangle pattern from the bottom of the ship.

It was a testament to the two Jedi that waited for the twins on the dock. Laurune had been Korin's partner early on in their Jedi careers. Often times Laurune would reign Korin in and keep him from making possibly deadly mistakes. Korin was brash when he became a Jedi Knight. Laurune had fought hard to tame him and teach him that sometimes reaction was better than aggressive action. It was a hard lesson for Korin to learn but one that he needed none the less. It wasn't until he and Laurune were separated that he realized the value of Laurune's wisdom. Korin had once considered himself the image of a Jedi Knight. After working with Laurune he realized how false that image was.

Korin watched as the twins ascended the ramp and began to trudge towards them. He could almost feel the waves of sorrow pulsing from them. It was hard when people that were accustomed to each other had to separate. The force only knows that Korin had to endure it twice; once with Joran Bender and again with Laurune. He hoped that his insight and his knowledge would help Tyridac make the transition.

"What took you so long?" Korin stepped forward to meet the two twins.

"Taking our sweet time, you know us." Tyridac spoke up as he dropped the bag from his shoulders. The metal parts contained within jangled around as he set it on the Ferrocrete dock. The makings of a lightsaber were in that bag, Korin knew, and Tyridac was itching to work with them.

"I know that this will be hard for the both of you. It's hard for me too. So, I am going to give you a couple of moments." Korin stepped forward and enveloped Ithica in a hug. Korin could feel Ithica hug him back and was sure that he felt a sob run through the Padawan.

Pulling back, Korin turned and rejoined Laurune near the front of the two starships. He made only brief eye contact and forced himself to contain his emotion. It was hard for Korin, but even harder for the twins.

"Is this good bye?" Ithica asked, his eyes bloodshot with tears.

"No, not in the least. We both serve the order and we both knew that the Jedi would call us apart from each other. This is just a temporary absence." Tyridac said, the words ringing hollow in his ears.

"But it's an absence none the less." Ithica started to cry but his brother's hand stopped his sob. Ithica looked up to Tyridac, he was always strong and always ready to face a challenge. Ithica trusted in that fact and when he didn't have the courage to continue he could trust that Tyridac would lead him. What was he going to do without that in his life? How was he going to carry on without the sole person his life was lived for? Tyridac was all he had, ever since Nar Shaddaa.

"That's not true." Tyridac said. One of the rare things he and his brother shared was the ability to feel what the other was feeling. Tyridac wasn't sure if that was due to their Jedi training or if it was because they were twins. "You'll have Laurune and all the thousands of years of the Jedi to back you. You'll never be alone. Neither of us will." Tyridac reached out and touched his brother's shoulder. "Faith, my brother. Faith will see us through. All we need to do is follow."

"Faith." Ithica echoed.

"Boys," Laurune shouted from across the dock. "It's time to go." Laurune's protocol droid ambled up the ramp into the Viller. All the preparations for departure were completed and it really was time for the twins to leave.

Ithica felt a new wave of confidence wash over him. With Tyridac's arm around his shoulder, he walked towards his destiny.

The trip from Courascant to Dantooine was shorter than Tyridac expected. He and Korin had spent the trip in relative silence. They each concentrated on the force as their ship sped through hyperspace. The only thing that would break them from meditation was the shrill bleeping of T5-V5. The little droid would have a crisis that would need to be dealt with on a daily basis. Tyridac seemed annoyed at the little droid but Korin simply smiled. T5-V5, Vee as he called him, had definitely grown on him. When Korin bought the droid he was sure that he would kill it. Since then, he had come to depend on Vee for a number of things. Greatest of which was the role of therapist.

Korin often consulted the droid with his problems and he would usually get an answer or perspective that he hadn't thought of yet. Though sometimes the advice was a smidgen utilitarian it still made him think.

Tyridac's meditation during the journey was focused on one simple thing: feeling his brother. At first, when they departed, he could track his brother with almost crystal clarity. He soon fount that at great distances he no longer had a full sense of where his brother was. It deteriorated into a vague sense of direction until he couldn't even discern that. At that moment, the moment that he lost touch, Tyridac felt truly alone.

It was hard for someone to adjust to the absence of what was essentially a part of him or her. Tyridac had trouble with the fact that he was without the person that he grew up with. He had even more trouble with the stoicism which Korin regarded the subject. Out of all people, Tyridac had hoped that Korin would understand what he was going through. All Korin seemed to do was dismiss the separated twins like a bad Induction Coil.

"Korin," Tyridac broke the silence that had lasted almost 16 hours, "can I ask you a question."

"Of course." Korin broke out of his trance and looked to the young Padawan.

"Why are you so stoic right now?" Tyridac thought about how he wanted to word this question. "Why does it seem like you don't care about Ithica and I?"

Korin sighed. "Tyridac." Korin shifted in his seat so he could look Tyridac in the face. "I'm not stoic at all. My friend I am just as upset as you are. But I learned long ago that it doesn't help to steal yourself away and try to forget all about your problems. Nor does it help to dwell on them. You and Ithica splitting is much like what Joran and I experienced. When we came to the academy Joran and I were outsiders. We were the only humans, well, near humans in Joran's case, so we banded together. Everything that could be done in tandem you could be that Joran and I worked together. We became such good friends that I could feel him without seeking him through the force. I could feel when he was hurt or fatigued. I could change the way I fought so that I could protect him. He did the same."

"What I'm trying to day is that when we were split it was like the end of the world to me. I couldn't fathom how I would carry on without my support there with me. It took a long time until I was able to pull myself together and do the job that I was assigned. That, and my new partner didn't make things any easier."

"Who was that?" Tyridac leaned forward.

"Heh," Korin chuckled, "Master Adaffa."

"Oh, that's harsh." Tyridac hissed as the image of Master Adaffa came back to his mind. The Jedi Master over two meters tall and brimming with cybernetic implants. He was the image people got when they thought of Jedi Warriors. A master that cheated death not only once, but twice.

"Master Adaffa did teach me one thing. He taught me that when we feel the most alone is when we close ourselves to the force. If we reach back and focus we will find that the Force never leaves us stranded. It is with us all the time and it ties us to each other."

Tyridac nodded. He could feel the relief already spreading through his body. In the back of his mind, there was still a tinge of worry. Like something was about to go wrong and Tyridac had no idea what.

Ithica's trip was much the same. The first part of it was spent in silent contemplation. Laurune's protocol droid, who was called Biv, and the ships autopilot did all of the work of flying. Laurune retreated to the sleeping area to meditate and Ithica sat on the stairs of the ship.

Ithica was so frustrated he wanted to scream. First the Jedi had taken them when they were just children and now they denied them the only thing that brought both of them happiness. Ithica hated being apart from Tyridac. He hated being from Korin. Laurune was a great Jedi but he wasn't Ithica's master. He didn't know anything about him.

_Then again, _Ithica thought, _I don't know much about Laurune._

Gathering his robes around him, Ithica made his way to the second level and over to the sleeping area. Laurune sat cross-legged on the floor and had his saber in his right hand. Ithica could feel the force radiating off of him in great waves as he concentrated. Ithica felt the hair on his arm start to stand on end.

Not wanting to disturb the older Jedi, Ithica sat on the floor and tried to gather his thoughts about him. It wasn't an easy task and he soon found his mind wandering off to be light-years away with his brother.

Ithica wasn't sure how long he sat on the floor near Laurune. He was snapped out of his reverie when Laurune opened his eyes and looked at him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Padawan. What's on your mind?" Laurune dipped his right hand into his robes and clipped the Lightsaber to the inside of his shirt.

"To be honest, Master Laurune, you. I just realized how much I really don't know about you."

"What do you mean?" Laurune shifted out of the cross-legged position so that blood could flow back into his legs.

"I mean I don't know about what you have done in the Jedi order. I know the simple things like you were Korin's partner at one point. Other than that I am nebulas."

Laurune chuckled. "Ithica. There is very little to tell about myself. I became a Jedi knight about 10 years before Korin did and I have served the Order as a diplomat to Geonosis for several years. I was also a member of the Dantooine council up until 2 years ago."

"What made you quit?"

"I left the Dantooine council so I could continue relations with Geonosis. The republic is looking to make use of their technology, chief being the cybernetics technology. There isn't much beyond that. I was born on Naboo and taken to the temple when I was 4. I am just a standard Jedi. No fancy stories here."

"Oh," Ithica sighed.

"You sound disappointed."

"I was just hoping that you had some really cool story about how you had to go away from all that you knew. Something to make me feel not so crazy." Ithica drew his knees up to his chest and sighed. He had done that numerous times growing up in the temple. Tyridac was always big and strong. He lacked the wiry nature that Ithica had. Ithica could always retreat to this place with his knees against his chest. That thought brought him comfort.

"Ithica, leaving what you love behind is the story of all Jedi Knights. We do it even if we don't realize we are. We do it when we leave our comfort zones and think in a different manner. We do it when we go away from other Jedi to operate in the rim. We even do it when we have to put aside our emotions and favor choices that are of the Force and Light Side. Just because we leave something behind doesn't mean we forget about it. I still remember what it was like, trudging through the mud with Korin by my side. I cherish those memories and I hold them very dear to me. You should do the same with your memories of Tyridac and your feelings. Hold them dear to you. Don't let them rule you. Don't let them bog you down. Just let them be with you." Laurune smiled at the young Jedi.

"I think I understand, Master." Ithica offered a weak smile.

"In time, you will grow to understand more. Come; let us meditate on what I have told you. Seek out your thoughts. Don't let them come to you. Go and find them."

Without saying another word, the two Jedi drew their senses inward. Ithica dwelled on what Laurune had told him and tried to focus his mind on it. It proved hard and he soon found himself drifting off to be with Tyridac.

Ithica wasn't sure when he fell asleep. He wasn't sure when Laurune got up and left the sleeping area. Ithica awoke sometime later in the comfort of his bunk and for a moment wondered where he was. The panic subsided when he realized he was with Laurune, and far away from his brother. There in the bunk, in the dark, Ithica sobbed.

In the cockpit, Laurune was wracked with fear. He wasn't sure what he was going to try and teach Ithica. He wasn't sure how to proceed. He had failed so many times before it was a wonder the council even trusted him. Already he was second-guessing himself in regards to Ithica.

_I can't fail. _Laurune clenched his fists. _I can't let the Dark Side win another one of my Padawans._


	4. Tyridac and Ithica Training

Tyridac landed hard on the dirt, using the momentum he had just attained he ducked into a quick somersault and was on his feet before Korin could blink. As he sprinted forward he drove the force out of his mind. In the two days he and Korin had been on Dantooine Tyridac hadn't relied on the force for more than 5 minutes. Korin had been putting him through a training regiment that Tyridac was sure had been designed to kill him.

Right off the Ral, Korin had turned to him and said, "Catch me" as he sprinted off. It took a moment for Tyridac to process this and when he was finally chasing after his master he knew catching him would be near impossible. The older Jedi ran with such speed that Tyridac was sure he would tire after about a day. No such luck was lent to the younger Jedi. He had chased Korin for two days before he had finally collapsed from exhaustion. The older Jedi allowed him to sleep for only 6 hours before he roused him with a small stone.

There were many unpleasant ways to wake up. Having water poured on you, rolling out of bed, but the rock flying against his temple was the worst. He instantly had a headache and sleeping on the grass had done a number on his back. Mix that all with the fact that his limbs still burned from the running and Tyridac could deduce that he life was soon about to end.

"Wake up. There are things to do, my friend." Korin hovered a good 20-centimeters off the ground. Tyridac could feel the force pulsing out from his master in great waves. At first, Tyridac couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"How are you doing that?" Tyridac asked as he stared at the gap between the dirt and Korin. "I heard levitation is near impossible for a Jedi Guardian."

"Exactly what I am going to teach you!" Korin clapped his hands as he settled back to the ground. "The force works in ways we must come to understand. Just because I am a Jedi Guardian doesn't mean that I am cut off from techniques that, say, Laurune would use. It just means I have to focus and work a little harder to master them." Korin kneeled down so he could look his Padawan in the eyes. "I hope that you will soon realize that the force doesn't exclude someone based on class. Remember the code of the Guardians: There is no separation, there is unity."

Tyridac nodded as the words rang through his head; they took on a new meaning, one free he could now fully understand. Tyridac drew himself into the position he took while he was meditating on the force. Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, he spoke. "What would you have me do?"

Korin smiled as he stood. "I thought you would never ask. Reach out with the force. Feel everything around you. Feel the grass as it blows lightly in the wind. Feel me standing here. Feel the trees that ring this grove and feel the animals that wait just beyond them. Take in a sense of the world and reach out to it. The force binds all matter and connects all life. It is in that life that you will draw your greatest power. Life teems from a Jedi. Feel it now."

Tyridac reached out with his senses. Instantly he could feel the grass around his body. It didn't so much form an image in his mind as it did a pattern. He could see the intricate weave the force did as it played through the grass. It was small and thin, almost like it would break if Tyridac touched it too hard.

As he reached further he could feel Korin. All throughout his training Tyridac had been aware of things through the force. He had reached out and touched them and used the force to tell where things were. He used it as a tool more than he did an extra sense. Now, as he gazed through the world of the force, he realized how much he had been missing.

Korin was magnificent when viewed through this way. The force seemed to bend around him as it flowed through him. It took on a pattern that was at a glance simple, but when focused on it became clear that it was much more intricate. The pattern of Korin was one of steady streams. The force flowed through him and was connected to him that it became a constant part of his body. Korin was so alive with the force that Tyridac suddenly felt weak by comparison.

As he reached further he could feel the trees, their patter tying the life of animals, grass, and it's own leaves together. Tyridac saw and felt everything, though he didn't once open his eyes.

"Now, you can't feel these, but you can tell where the force bends around them." Korin reached into his robes and produced a small satchel of coins. "These are the coins that my Uncle had struck when he became a Master." Korin sat down cross-legged on the dirt and sat the satchel in front of him. He retrieved 4 of the small coins and held them; two in each hand. "We're going to play a game."

Korin tossed up a coin from each hand until he had settled into a pattern. Tyridac was amazed at how Korin juggled the small coins and had to work hard to keep his concentration.

Korin smiled as he continued to juggle. "Do you have them?"

Tyridac nodded. He could tell where the coins were and could reach out with the force and touch them. That would be no problem. The problem was that they were flying through the air and had no set origin that Tyridac could work off of.

"Good! Then let's play." Korin snatched one out of his juggle and flicked it towards Tyridac.

Tyridac opened his eyes as the coin bounced off his chest and settled on the grass in front of him. He looked up at Korin with a puzzled expression. "How am I supposed to catch it that fast?"

"I'll give you a hint." Korin snatched up another coin from the satchel while he continued to juggle. "I don't want you to use your hands."

Tyridac began to say something, but then he realized what Korin wanted. As he closed his eyes again a new wave of anxiety washed over him. He didn't know if he could produce the results that Korin wanted. "I'm ready."

Tyridac had barely gotten past the sense of the grass when he felt the next coin sailing through the air at him. This one traveled with less speed but it still took a great deal of effort for Korin to stop its travel in midair. The coin slowed then froze a half a meter from his face.

"Good, now hold it there and get ready for the next one." Korin wondered how many Tyridac would be able to hold.

The exercise took a little while longer. Tyridac was able to hold up 4 coins at once before his senses collapsed and the coins tumbled to the ground. Tyridac slumped over as he tried to suck in as much air as was possible. No amount of physical fatigue could compare to the fatigue he felt now. It was like his entire body had been drained and his mind was now swimming. His eyes focused and unfocused as he tried to seek out Korin. He could still feel the force within himself, though it was very faint.

"Very good!" Korin gathered up the coins and deposited them within the purse. "That's two more than I was able to do my first time." Korin slipped the satchel back into his robes.

"Thanks." Tyridac rolled onto his back and stared at the light blue sky of Dantooine. The sun was dipping below the horizon and soon night would envelop this side of the world. "Why did you juggle them before throwing them at me?"

"To keep you guessing. If I just held one at a time and threw it you would be able to expect it. You would grow complacent and wouldn't trust your intuition. By juggling them, I forced you to wait until it came to you."

"I see."

"Yes, you can sleep now." Korin stood and glanced around. "There are no Kath Hounds within a mile. I'm going to go and grab our camping gear. We'll sleep here tonight and make our way back tomorrow."

"What about some food?" Tyridac mumbled out. His mind slipping into slumber.

"Yeah, I'll grab us some food too." Korin shouted back as he walked towards their transport. His words were lost, as Tyridac was now asleep.

Ithica clung to the side of the rock face. The past four days had been spent in much the same manner. He would track Laurune through the forest and through the plains. He had now tracked him to a small plateau and was sure he would get him.

As soon as the Viller sad down on the small moon Laurune had engaged Ithica with his saber. Ithica had only learned a smattering of Shii-cho from Korin. His basic training was no match for the older Jedi and he was beaten within 3 minutes. Laurune had told him that for each time he lost he would have to track him down and engage him again. Ithica didn't really understand the meaning of this training but he trusted Laurune.

In the four days he had engaged Laurune 3 times and was beaten each time. After each fight, Ithica would ponder the way Laurune had fought and he was starting to pick up some of the moves and styles that the older Jedi used. Shien/Djem So was a odd style to Ithica. It used large sweeping motions that Ithica felt left the Jedi open. Each time he tried to capitalize on this weakness, Laurune had countered with a pattern of strikes that Ithica had a hard time following. In the end, Ithica guessed that was how the form really worked.

As he neared the top of the cliff, Ithica slowed his pace and calmed his nerves. He tried to move as quietly as was possible and he was sure that each time his feel moved he gave himself away. When he was near the top, Ithica took in a deep breath.

Using the force to propel his limbs, Ithica vaulted over the edge of the cliff. While he was in midair, he plucked the saber he and his brother made from his hip. He ignited the blue blade as he tumbled over and landed in a crouch. Laurune was standing 5 meters in front of him and Ithica would close that distance in a few seconds. That was, if the rock he was crouched on didn't start to crumble away.

Laurune bore a smile as the Padawan struggled to escape from the waterfall of rock that he had planned. The edge of the cliff he had been perched on tumbled away and Ithica leapt towards Laurune in a last ditch effort.

Ithica had his saber already swinging as he closed with Laurune. The older Jedi spun backwards and clipped Ithica's saber away as he backed away. The Padawan set his feet and brought his saber back around. He had prepared for this, the entire time he stalked after Laurune, he had been thinking of ways he could best the older Jedi.

Laurune skipped back and then came forward as Ithica completed his slash. The younger Jedi barely had time to block the hard return slash that came in at an angle to his shoulder. The Padawan then carried through another slash. He took a book out of the Shien/Djem So line of fighting. He kept his arcs wide and focused on trying to lure his Master into a false sense of security.

Laurune didn't bite. Ithica's slash gave him a window that he would strike hard at. Stepping forward he gave the Padawan a push. Ithica fell backward and landed hard on his rear. Laurune plucked the saber from Ithica's hand using the force.

"Not bad at all. You're picking up on Shien very well." Laurune tossed the saber back into Ithica's hand. "You've got the wide swings down. Now you just need to learn how to capitalize on the openings they can provide for you."

Ithica stood. "Thanks, I think. I still don't understand how I am supposed to learn the form by just fighting with you."

"The best way to understand something is to fight it. To struggle against something is to truly see it at it's best. I could show you the moves but you would never have a chance to see them, I mean really see them. We could spar and we could practice all day long but in the end if you hesitate, it will all be for nothing. I don't want you to hesitate, Ithica. I want you to feel. I want you to make a decision based on your training and on your guidelines. If you can do that then you can face any challenge and be unafraid of it." Laurune clapped a hand on Ithica's shoulder. "You've had enough for a while. We must go and we must rest. Come."

The two headed off towards the Viller. Ithica thought of what Laurune had said. He thought about challenges he was unwilling to face because of his fears. _Maybe I can learn something from Shien/Djem So. _Ithica looked up into the sky. _Maybe I can learn to put aside my anxiety and do what needs to be done. Just maybe._

Over the course of a month, Tyridac had advanced past 4 coins. Advanced very far. He was seated in front of Korin now, his arms on his knees and his eyes shut tight. Sweat beaded on his forehead and a whole slew of coins floated in front of his face. Korin had emptied the bag and was now searching for something else to add.

Uncovering some small stones, Korin began tossing them towards Tyridac. The pebbles flew in and abruptly stopped. They held position along with the coins. One right after another, Korin tossed the stones. One right after another, Tyridac caught them. Korin was pleased. Already, Tyridac could do more than Korin could after a year of this type of training. It was finally time for him to see the extent of his power.

"Ok." Korin stood, dusting off his robes. "It's time for another type of exercise."

The coins and stones floated slowly to the ground and Tyridac began to gather them up. "What type of exercise?"

"Oh you'll see." Korin smiled. Soon Tyridac retrieved his coins and when they were safely tucked away in his robes, he made towards the ledge they were practicing near. It was an outcropping of rocks that were roughly 5 meters in height. They were rigid and had a surface that was porous like lava-rock. When they neared the rocks, Korin turned to Tyridac.

"Heh, see you on top." Korin bent low and leapt to the top of the rock. As he hit the top he felt fatigue wash over his legs. A leap like that was near the limit of his ability. There were other Jedi that could leap to the top of buildings 30 or 40 meters in the air. There were even some Jedi that could levitate themselves higher than that. Korin didn't expect all of that from Tyridac. If he could make it to the top of the rock he would match Korin for ability.

"Hmm." Tyridac scratched his chin. Over the past month both he and Korin had put grooming on a back burner and both men sported shadows that were well beyond 5-o'clock. "All the way up there?"

"Size, distance, time; none of these things matter in the force."

Tyridac considered his words and looked back to the rock. He had never attempted anything like this and wasn't very sure how to proceed.

"Feel it in your legs."

Tyridac bent low. His muscles bunching and growing taut.

"Feel it through the force as you near the apex of your power. Feel the pattern the force makes around your body. Feel the pattern it makes through the air. All you need to do is follow the patterns with your body."

Tyridac felt the force flowing through him; quickening his body. With all the power he had, Tyridac leapt. He was surprised to see Korin's face speeding past and let out a short yell. That surprise soon melted away as he realized that he was climbing higher and higher into the air. Soon he reached the pinnacle and began falling back to the ground. Panic poured over his body and he vaguely heard Korin shouting something.

When he hit his left ankle rolled to the side and gave way. He flopped to the ground and rolled several times before coming to a stop. His ankle was already swelling and Tyridac was sure it was going to bruise badly.

Korin came jogging over; surprise washed off his face and was replaced by concern. "You overshot it a bit, brother."

"Just a tad, I must say." Tyridac reached down and held his ankle. The skin around it had begun to turn a soft purple and would soon grow darker.

"That's gonna be pretty nasty. Let's get you back to the Ral." Korin lifted Tyridac up and started leading him towards their ship. Tyridac leaned heavily on him and with each step he winced with pain.

"We'll get some ice on it, maybe some chilled Bacta. Yeah, chilled Bacta." Korin repeated.

"Gah." Tyridac groaned.

"Yeah, I know. Bacta smells terrible but it is good for what ails ya." Korin started to continue but suddenly fell silent.

Tyridac began to ask a question but the reason for Korin's silence suddenly hit him. In the tall grasses around them, a pack of Kath Hounds were spreading out. They slowly circled them, viciousness emanating towards the two Jedi. Tyridac began to panic.

"Stay calm, Tyridac. We just have to figure out a solution." Korin spread his feet wide and bent his knees. If they had to make any fast movements, they would be ready.

"The ship is about a kilometer away and I can't put much pressure on the ankle so that is out of the equation." Tyridac groaned as he tested the appendage.

"Then we just have to expand the variables." Korin dug into his pocket and retrieved his comm-link. "Vee do you copy?"

Within a few seconds, the small droid tooled back over the link. Tyridac was panicking and could only make out a few words the droid spouted back. Something to the effect of _Where else would I be._

"Listen, Vee. Tyridac and I are in trouble. Tyridac is hurt and we need you to pilot the Ral to us." The little droid tooled back over the comm and Korin then continued. "Some local wildlife has taken an interest in us, so make it quick." The droid sputtered an affirmation before the comm went dead.

"Ok. If they are gonna come after us we're going to have to hold them off. Like you said, it's a kilometer away so it might take a couple of seconds." Korin raised his lightsaber and ignited it. Tyridac wished suddenly that he had taken the time to make his over the past month.

"Hey, Korin. Any special attachment to those coins?" Tyridac Asked as he shifted away from Korin. He put a little weight on the ankle, not much, but enough to steady himself.

"Are you kidding? I have a ton of them back home." Korin tossed him the bag containing the coins.

Tyridac fished a couple out of the bag and held him in his fingers, ready to fling at a moment's notice. He felt the Kath Hounds start to stalk towards him before Korin shouted a warning.

A pair of Hounds pounded out of the grass to Korin's left. He brought up his saber into the lead hound and rolled to the left. The second hound leapt past and contorted in mid-air. When it landed it already faced Korin and took off in his direction. The hound was ravenous and bent on killing the Jedi Knight. Korin easily sidestepped the attack and severed the Hound's head from the rest of its body.

Tyridac spotted one Kath Hound leaping from the brush and let the coins fly. The small gold discs made excellent projectiles as Tyridac accelerated them with the force. The Hound yelped as the disc bored into it's skin. The creature rebounded and backed up a few steps, sizing up the Jedi.

Tyridac reached into the satchel and retrieved two more coins. They fell into his grip and he felt his anxiety start to lighten. The hound took a running start at Tyridac and he raised the coins. He was about to throw them when he stopped and thought to himself. _Why am I using coins?_

Dropping them to the ground, Tyridac let the force fly out through his hands and into the hound in front of him. The force push slammed the creature back and drove it into the ground.

The Hound that was coming from behind never had a chance as Korin threw his saber into its neck. The creature shook a couple of times before it finally became still with death.

The Ral appeared up ahead and settled into the ground in front of the two Jedi. The large ship frightened the remaining hounds as they ran off into the brush. Korin and Tyridac were safe. Korin helped Tyridac into the shuttle and shut the door. They had escaped today, if only very narrowly.

Ithica and Laurune made it back to the Viller after spending a month going over saber combat. Ithica was sure that he knew the form inside and out by the time the month was over. He could feel his senses getting sharper as he picked up and worked on the form that Laurune was teaching him. Ithica would see the form in his sleep and every time his mind wandered, it was always to the form.

The two Jedi arrived at the transport where a very excited Biv was puttering on about a message that was waiting for Laurune. He did reveal that the message had a possible air of danger about it.

Laurune entered his ship and made his way quickly to the comm console in the cockpit. Ithica wasn't far behind him. As Laurune sat in the co-pilot chair he punched up the message control system. The face of an aging politician materialized in front of the two Jedi.

"Master Laurune." The hologram of Senator Kreekek spoke softly into the recorder. The Rhodian Senator was Laurune's contact on the inside of the Senate. "I wish I was coming with good news or salutations. I come asking a favor from you."

Laurune crossed his arms at the hologram.

"We have recently lost contact with one of our new warships, the _Hindsight_. The ship is very important and we would appreciate it if you would investigate their last known coordinates. I thank you in advance for your efforts. Kreekek out." The hologram wavered for a moment before blinking out of existence.

"I've got the ship prepped. Ready when you are." Ithica turned in his seat to face the Jedi Master.

Laurune stroked his chin and stared out of the viewport as the sun dipped below the horizon. He didn't like the abruptness in Kreekek's voice. He always liked to drag things out, this message was short and to the point. Unlike him to say the least.

"What is it, Laurune?"

"I'm not sure, something about this doesn't seem right." Laurune turned to the Padawan and offered a smile. "Don't worry about it, it's probably nothing." Laurune gestured out. "Lead the way, Padawan."

The Viller left and started to climb out of the atmosphere. Something about the system in the coordinates ached against Laurune's senses. The moon of Callist, Laurune was sure it was nothing to worry about.


	5. Laurune's End

"How old do you suppose this place is?" Ithica's head swiveled around as he took in the sights of this sentry moon. Ancient, overgrown trees grew not more than 50 meters away but they all seemed to stop at a uniform point; as if the forest recoiled from the gray stone temple ahead of him.

"Old?" Laurune was snapped out of his reverie. "Yes, this place is old. Far older than I can venture a guess at."

"What is it made out of? I have never seen stone like this. It's so," Ithica paused as he searched for the right word, "Unnatural."

"Unnatural is right, this place, this temple, isn't supposed to be here."

"What do you mean?" Ithica sidled closer to Laurune, despite the humidity and heat of this jungle moon, he felt suddenly cold.

"I mean, this temple isn't of any design that you, or anyone in the Republic for that matter, is familiar with. "It's a temple to the Builders."

"The Builders?" Ithica looked at the temple. A line of runes ran along the closest edge of the temple. They were very angular but retained a flowing uniqueness that Ithica had never seen before. A language, lost to time and lost to the galaxy.

"The Builders was the name that was given to the Rakata race when it ruled the Galaxy over 25,000 years ago."

"The Rakata? Those barbarians?" Ithica asked incredulously. "You've got to be kidding!"

"Not at all." Laurune looked at Ithica. "Didn't you learn the story of the Jedi Civil War? What do they teach you kids in the Academy."

"Nothing about ancient legends and long dead societies." Ithica looked back at the Temple. Each time he looked at it, he grew more and more uneasy with the place.

"The galaxy is an old place; older than the Order, older than some of the stars in the sky. But nothing is older than the Force. When we are dead and turned to dust, the force will remain." Laurune spoke darkly. "The galactic constant."

"If this temple was, indeed, created by the Rakata, it meant that this planet was steeped in the Dark Side." Laurune continued. "Otherwise, it would not be here."

"How do you mean?" Ithica squatted down and surveyed the spindly grass stalks that forged a life on this rock.

Laurune sighed, they really should have been teaching more history. "The Rakata were, quite possibly, the first Major practitioners of the Dark Side of the force. To them, it wasn't the _Dark Side_; it wasn't even given a name. That's how inherent it was to their culture."

Laurune looked skyward, as if he were out there, among the past; among the legends. "Their technology ran directly from the Force. It was required to operate their equipment. It also acted as a vector for their hyperdrive systems. Thus, though their "Infinite Empire" was vast, few planets were under their total control. Planets like this, with so little indigenous life, needed anchor temples like this in order to travel here safely."

"What was the use of this planet. It hardly seems like the prime place to further an empire." Ithica scoffed.

"That is the mystery, my friend. Remember that the Rakata Infinite Empire was at its peak roughly twenty millennia ago. Not even those Rakata that live today have any idea what these satellite worlds' purposes were." Laurune sighed, "Lost to the sands of time." Laurune suddenly felt very old.

Ithica stood staring at the temple for a long moment before he spoke. "Should we go investigate?"

"What?" Laurune was snapped back to reality very quickly. "What are you saying."

"Well, why don't we go investigate."

"We're you not listening to me. This place is almost the incarnation of the Dark Side."

"But it's the only energy signature in this sector. This planet, this temple to be exact, might be the only link we have to the Hindsight." Ithica looked back to roughly the spot in the stars where the molten bits of metal were all that remained of the D-12 Republic Cruiser. "This might be the only clue."

Laurune sighed. "You're right. Still, I don't like the feelings that are emanating from this place." Laurune reached down and unclipped an Energy Tracker. The small rectangle instrument read and deciphered background energy signatures. It was also useful for tracking said energy signatures.

"We'll go have a look. But mark my words. We go in, and then we come right back out if we don't find anything. Got it?"

"Got it." Ithica said. A wry smile spread across his face. This was an adventure. Like the ones he had heard about for so long within the Jedi Order. A real for real adventure.

"Oh, one more thing." Laurune eyed the green and blue jungle around the temple with an increasing trepidation. "Don't touch anything. Got it? I don't know what enchantments are left over from the Sith Era. I don't want you to suddenly melt away because you couldn't help fondling the artwork."

Ithica snickered. "Yes master. Not a touch."

Laurune shook his head and started towards the temple. "Stay close."

Ithica's smile died away as he looked back towards the temple. _Courage,_ he thought. _It's just a relic._

Laurune crouched near the large ramp leading to the temple entrance. His hands trembled as he brought the Tracker up to eye level. A small blob pulsated on the optic display. They were getting closer to the energy source. Closer still to the source of his chills.

Not more than a meter away, Ithica crouched and stared into the jungle. The sky was darkening very fast and with it, strange noises issued from the trees. Ithica's hand clutched his robe and turned back to Laurune. "How far in?"

"At least twenty five meters. Maybe more." Laurune deposited the Tracker into his robes and stood. "Come." With that, Laurune steeled away his fear and stepped into the temple. Ithica stood, hesitating, then stepped in after the Jedi Master.

"Stay close, young Ithica." Laurune's hand hovered near his Lightsaber. He cursed himself. This was an abandoned temple. Layers of dust covered everything in front of him. The only footprints were the ones that he and Ithica were leaving behind. Nothing was out of place in this ancient relic. Still, the feeling was there, he couldn't deny that.

Ithica and Laurune stalked further into the temple. The air was felt oppressive and close. Before long, Ithica had broken out in a cold sweat. Laurune, having finally let his feelings take hole, had unclipped his lightsaber and now gripped it tightly in his hands.

As the Jedi pair entered into the antechamber, Ithica let out a gasp. The chamber was dominated by a large stone stage, almost a dais in its grandeur. Intricate carvings covered almost every inch of stone. Weavings and letters like those on the outside of the temple. Sharp curves and smooth flowing script. Ithica wished he could read every line, every word.

"Look at these carvings!" Ithica stepped forward and reached out to touch the dais.

"Stop!" Laurune shouted, his voice reverberating throughout the entire temple. "Those aren't Rakata carvings!"

"What?"

"Those carvings were done long after the Rakata civilization ceased to exist." Laurune looked around franticly. "Those carvings are Sith incantations!" He hissed. "We've got to get out of here!"

Ithica turned and was about to breakaway in a dead sprint when a sharp sound resounded through the amphitheater. A clap. Followed by another. Then yet another.

"Most astute, Master Laurune." A grating, alien voice choked out in Basic. "I didn't know you were such the historian."

Without hesitation, Laurune thumbed his green lightsaber to life. The verdant blade illuminated the dark corner where a truly frightening creature stepped forward. The thing, for Ithica couldn't be sure if it was male or female, walked on four squarely placed legs. The torso was longer than any humans ever could be, as were the arms. Its head was narrow and tall. The face, a horror all its own. The creature bore a mouth that was wide and rimmed with deadly looking teeth. Its eyes were merely black orbs and the creature wasn't blessed with a nose.

All over the creatures body was a tough shell that resembled chitin; like a giant lobster. This lobster, however, was quite a bit more dangerous.

"Good to see you again, master." The creature garbled out. Turning its horrid head it spoke, "And you must be young Ithica." The creature's mouth-parts clacked as it finished Ithica's name. The crustacean stepped forward again, it's feet clicking and clacking over the stone floor. "I've so wanted to meet you."

"Stop, Yai." Laurune moved in front of Ithica.

"Do you believe in fate, Ithica?"

Ithica craned his neck around Laurune to see the ferocious Yai.

"I believe wholeheartedly in fate." Yai brought a three clawed hand up and reached beckoned to the Padawan. "Fate, divine right, call it what you will."

"Yai, stop. Now!"

"Believe in it or not, destiny calls me." The crustacean creature stepped forward again and, once again, beckoned to Ithica. "You and I, Ithica, you and I are destined to meet. Destined," Yai's hand brought, from beneath a fold in his carapace, a lightsaber, "for great things."

The black, gleaming hilt of the saver caught the beautiful green of Laurune's saber and reflected it in their eyes. With a flourish, Yai extended his own blade. The bright red blade pushed back the green and the two began to battle for supremacy.

Ithica gasped at the saber. "You're a Sith!"

"Ithica!" Laurune pushed the Padawan back a few steps.

"You're a Sith." Ithica said again.

"Now why would you ever say that?" The crimson blade rotated in the hand of the crustacean. "Is it this blade? Red doesn't denote a Sith. It denotes passion. Something _he_ wouldn't understand!" Yai sneered out.

"Enough of this!" Laurune pushed Ithica back, more forcefully this time. "Ithica, leave this place now." Sweat was now pouring off of the aging Master. "Go back to the ship."

"And leave you in here with him!" Ithica snapped back. "No way!" Ithica plucked his own lightsaber from his hip and ignited it. Blue and green and red, a Jedi tableau that had been played since the beginning of the two orders.

"Ithica, no. This doesn't concern you."

"What? What are you saying, Master? There is no way I am leaving you in here alone." Ithica didn't understand why Master Laurune wanted him out of here.

"You cannot stay in here. I'm not going to let him get to you." Laurune understood now; the purpose that his Jedi Brother, Vaandar, had spoken of. The vision brought from the fabled Seers themselves; it was finally here.

"Laurune is right." Yai stopped rotating his blade and brought it to rest at his left hip angled out towards the floor. "This is between me and my Master."

The words took a moment to hit Ithica. When they did, he looked towards Master Laurune and asked: "He was one of your Padawans?"

"Probably one of the most promising Jedi Sentinels I had ever seen. That is, until he became to enamored with teachings that should have remained with the dead." Laurune scoffed. "Those holocrons should have remained buried with the Lords who made them."

"Those holocrons are the property and the legacy of each and every Jedi. If you would have listened to me."

"What was there to listen to, Yai? Your rantings on how wrong the Jedi Council was." Laurune shook his head. "You came back and you hated everyone you saw. Including me."

"Oh, how wrong I was then. I shouldn't have hated you. I should have thanked you. I should have thanked you for opening my eyes to the lies that have been perpetuated since the great Sith War."

Ithica couldn't believe his ears. Not only was this hideous creature once a Jedi, but he had truly fallen to the dark side. _A fallen Jedi, _Ithica thought, _This isn't the adventure I wanted to have._

Yai sighed, "Alas, my time has run out and there are so many things yet to accomplish. Come Master Laurune, show me how a Master Sentinel fights." Yai snapped his saber up in a mirror stance of Laurune.

Slowly, confidently, Laurune raised his saber. "Stay back, Ithica." With that, Laurune sprinted forward. His saber dipped low and then came up in a blinding arc, so fast that Ithica had to blink. Laurune was so fast. Never had he expected that Laurune was such a well of power.

Yai flicked his saber out and caught Laurune's blade. There was a flash and then a snap-crackle. _The first blade strikes of a new war!_ Yai laughed aloud. "Come Master!"

Laurune spun and slashed his blade out, once again catching the crimson saber. This time, he succeeded in knocking the blade out of his way. He had a shot and he had all intentions of taking it.

Whirling his saber level with Yai's chest, Laurune stabbed forward. His saber point never found home. With a yell, Yai batted away Laurune's saber and continued the saber in an arc designed to trim Laurune's hair at the level of his ears. It was a simple act for Laurune to duck below the saber swing. He was then coming up, though not by his own volition. Yai snapped his front legs up in a kick that caught Laurune square in the chest. The Jedi Master cried out and was tossed onto his back.

Yai snickered and stepped back. "Isn't this power great, Master. This is what a Jedi is supposed to be!"

Having had enough of waiting. Ithica stalked forward and brought his saber up in the defensive stance he had picked up over the past couple of weeks. Laurune was still struggling to his feet when the Padawan stepped into the fray.

Ithica flicked his saber high and then low, each strike in the sweeping arc that Laurune had taught him. Each strike failed to hit home and Ithica was forced to stand his ground against his monstrous foe.

Yai simply laughed. "Good, Ithica, you sure are learning." Another spinning attack parried on the end of Yai's saber flashed across his eyes.

"Yai stop!" Laurune was on his feet and running forward towards the two.

"Sorry, Ithica. I have bigger fish to flay." With that, Yai slammed aside Ithica's saber and brought his hand up. A wall within the force came up and blasted the young Jedi back through the air. Ithica yelled out as he tumbled into the wall far from the edge of the dais. All the air that was still in his lungs was forcefully blown out. Beneath his back, Ithica could feel the ancient stone crack. Ithica's vision faded. The Jedi Padawan fought against the darkness that was fighting right back to consume his mind.

The young man could make out the faint outlines of Master Laurune and Yai fighting. The bright flashes of their lightsabers were some of the only sights that made it through the haze that was clouding his sight.

Laurune gasped as Yai's blade passed only centimeters from his side. The aging Jedi Master brought up his hand to join his other on the hilt of the saber. The Master then stabbed down through the air, stabbed straight at Yai's crustacean heart.

Sidestepping, Yai brought his hand up and caught the Jedi Master by the wrist. He pulled him forward, tipping his balance and tossing him to the floor. Laurune whirled over and skittered back, the whole time keeping his saber blade between himself and Yai's deadly blade.

"No longer, Master," The one time student spat. "No longer do I suffer under teachings that keep me in obscurity." Yai brought his arm up and waggled the saber dangerously close to Laurune. "This power is what a Jedi was destined to be. What the Order _should _have become." Yai's face screwed up into a mask that Laurune didn't recognize in his one-time student. "Instead, men like you slowly plague the Jedi. Keeping them stagnant and stunted."

"You don't mean that, Yai. I know you." Laurune got up to his feet, still backing up as fast as his joints would let him. Once again, Laurune felt very old.

"You have no idea what I have become, Master." Yai roared. "You never understood my fascination." Yai swung his saber and Laurune barely had time to bring his saber up to meet it.

"All of the greatest thinkers in the Jedi have been persecuted for their beliefs." Yai stalked forward, forcing Laurune onto the Dais. "Look at Ulic Qel-Droma! One of the most radical thinkers in the Jedi order and look what they did to repay him. Think about how he died. A mere shell of his former self. He died a death beyond death. He was dead even before he was shot in the back by some insect. Ulic wasn't killed by a rogue pilot with a vendetta. The Jedi Order killed him. They killed him the second they stripped him from the force."

"Ulic was a threat, he was dangerously close to falling forever." Laurune protested as he brought his saber up.

"So the Order's answer was to destroy everything he had been. Instead of listening to him, instead of listening to his ideas and views, they simply stripped him. Keepers of galactic justice indeed!" Yai, instead of doing what Laurune expected, snapped his saber up and knocked it from the Jedi's hands. It sparked momentarily on the dais, adding one more scratch to the hundreds that littered the stone. "No more, Master!" The Sith roared. "No more will the Jedi Order wage war on change." Yai snapped his saber down through Laurune's arm. The red blade screeched as it burned through flesh, bone, and cloth. Laurune screamed as his arm tumbled from his body.

Yai stalked around behind the Jedi Master. Reaching out, he seized him by the hair and pulled his head upright. Laurune whimpered in pain; white fire surged through his mind.

"Ithica," Laurune croaked out. The young Padawan was just now struggling to his feet. "Ithica, run."

Ithica couldn't believe his eyes; the sight that played out in front of him. It was a sight straight from his nightmares.

"Run!" Laurune yelled.

It was the last thing that Laurune ever said.

Yai swung his saber and separated the Jedi's head from his shoulders. A spark of serene pleasure ran through Yai's body. He had done it. With one saber stroke, he had severed all ties to his former life. _Free_, he thought, _free of all the lies._

Ithica screamed and wailed. The final image of Laurune's eyes was burned on his vision and in his soul. Ithica was already out of the room and was pounding down the ramp of the temple before he even realized he was running.

Ithica ran out of the temple and into the warm air of the jungle night. Ithica had only one thought on his mind as he tore across the hardpan, towards the Viller. He had to let them know; he had to tell the Jedi Order. He had to warn them. The Sith were back. And they had already claimed one victim.

Yai stood for a long moment. He stood and stared down at the body of his one time Master. A sense of accomplishment drown out any feelings of remorse that he might have felt.

"So," Another figure stepped from the dark. "The first strike in this war has been made."

"No, Refa." Yai turned to the young man. "This war has been going on ever since the Jedi chose ignorance to an expanding philosophy. This war has been an eternal one." Yai raised his hands, his lightsaber blinking out of existence. "We are simply taking up the mantle."

"How true my brother." Refa stepped forward and knelt down to stare into Laurune's lifeless eyes. "How true indeed."

"What about the young one?" Yai stashed the saber back between the separations in his exoskeleton, one of the handy advantages to being descended from crustaceans.

"Methinks he would make an apt present to the Master." Refa folded his arms across his chest. "Your thoughts?"

"I agree. New candidates are always welcome. Especially one as strong as him." Yai clicked his teeth in glee. "Yes, I do believe you are correct, Refa."

"Naturally."

"It is settled, then!" Yai ignored the self-inflating Refa. "I will go and educate this young one."

"When you are done. Take the ship and bring him to the Master. I will remain here and make sure the beacon functions properly."

"Yes, you do that." Yai started off. "Tobril will be pleased!"

"Oh, and Yai!" Refa shouted after him.

"Hmm?" Yai grunted in response.

"Glory," Refa spoke. "Glory to the Sith."

"Yes," Yai echoed, "glory."

Ithica reached the Viller in what should have been record time. His hands were shaking so bad he had to punch in the code 4 times before the computer granted him access. A good thing too, his lightsaber was in his hand and ready to burn the door from its hinges.

As the ladder cycled down Ithica made a hasty check of his surroundings. The jungle seemed to press in from all sides and the nighttime noises on this planet were enough to drive anyone mad.

Ithica, the ramp, having descended, clambered onboard and ran for the cockpit. Biv, Laurune's personal protocol droid, was coming out to greet him and was quite shocked to find Ithica so nervous.

"Is anything wrong, Master Ithica?" The droid asked.

"Start the preflight sequence and help me get off of this planet." Ithica yelled as he passed the droid.

"Shouldn't we wait for Master Laurune?"

"He's dead!" Ithica tossed over his shoulder, already halfway into the cockpit. It was strange to say that. Somehow, he just couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that Laurune was dead.

"My stars." The droid sighed out as it turned back towards the entrance.

In the cockpit, Ithica was frantically flipping switches and pressing buttons. For the third time, his saber got in the way and Ithica, reluctantly, set it on the console next to the pilot's chair. Ithica heard the engines whirring to life and, upon inspection, realized that the hatch was still open.

"Biv, shut the hatch!" He yelled back.

No response.

Suddenly, Ithica's hands felt very empty. He didn't turn around, but instead looked out of the corner of his eye. He could just make out the hilt of his saber, resting on the console. Steeling himself, Ithica decided on his course of action. He spun and called the saber forth from the console.

Ithica spun.

Right into the waiting hand of Yai. The Padawan tried to pull back but the hard grip of the Sith was too much for him to struggle against.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" The Sith snarled.

Ithica heard the snap-hiss of the lightsaber and saw Yai raise the weapon. He closed his eyes and waited for the strike. It never came.

Instead, Yai twirled, still holding the young Padawan, and passed the saber through the transparasteel viewport on the Viller. Then, continuing his spin, launched the young Jedi out through the glass.

Ithica was thankful that the saber swipe had severely weakened the viewport but not very thankful. He still hit with bone jarring severity. Ithica was powerless to stop himself from falling to the ground and hit with yet another bone jarring slam.

Yai was through the viewport and in the air shortly after that. Ithica was still rolling over in pain when the Sith landed not more than a meter from him. His arms came up too late to stop the kick that was delivered to him, by the sith, which sent him sprawling onto his back.

The crimson saber flashed down and passed neatly through the outer few layers of skin on Ithica's belly. He cried out in pain, only to be silenced by another kick to the ribs. The Sith laughed and mocked his prey.

Rolling away, Ithica scrambled to his feet and brought his hands up in a defensive gesture. His fingers spread in a claw-like way. The way that Korin had taught him.

"Bare hands against a lightsaber? You truly are brave, Master Ithica."

Then, with all the might he could muster, Ithica lashed out with the force and sent a wall of it straight at the Sith standing before him.

All he managed to do was push the Sith back a few centimeters. A full push with all the force power he had and all that was done was a mild annoyance delivered. The Sith cackled and spread his arms out.

"What was that?" Yai sneered. "Were you trying to mess up my robes?"

Yai stalked forward, Ithica backpedaled. Yai's jaw-parts clicked and clacked with each step.

"This, Master Ithica, is how it is done!" Snapping his hand up, Yai pushed out with a wall of his own force energy. The wall struck Ithica with all the force of a supernova. At least, that's what it felt like. The Padawan went sprawling across the grass and, all at once, Yai was upon him.

Ithica screamed as the Sith drove his foot down into his already burning stomach. Yai ground his heel into the poor Jedi and could feel the skin cracking and tearing underneath his foot.

The tactile sensation of grinding apart skin was something that Yai couldn't have conveyed even if he was a true poet.

Finally, he released the young man from under his foot and bent over his prey. "Pathetic!" He spat. "A Jedi is supposed to be the guardian of peace and justice. How can you be the guardian of anything if you cannot even fight to save your own useless life?" Ithica groaned in response. "How? Answer me Jedi!"

Picking Ithica up by his collar, the sith delivered another blow with the butt of his saber. Ithica staggered back a few steps on his heel. His eyes fluttered open just long enough to see the Sith raise the saber over his head.

The crimson saber came down in a crossways swipe and, this time, bit deeper than the first few layers of skin. Ithica gasped as he felt a jolt of pain shoot through his body. Then he slumped onto his back. His eyes refused to close, all he could do was stare at the stars and feel the pain welling in his chest. He was going to die.

Yai stalked around him for a moment. Marveling at how one so weak in the force could put up such little resistance. Finally, having enough of looking at his broken body, Yai knelt down as best as his four legs would allow him.

"It doesn't have to be this way." He whispered softly. "It doesn't have to hurt."

Ithica made no response. He couldn't, the pain was too intense.

"The Jedi are fearful. They are weak. You're not weak, are you Ithica?"

Again, no response.

"What if I told you there was a whole group of people cheering for you. Screaming for you to throw off your bonds of complacency."

The words seemed very distant to Ithica's ears but rang loud in his mind.

"Think about it, little one. Think about having your own group of people that want so badly for you to succeed. "

Yai reached out and touched the scratched and bruised cheek of the Padawan. "A whole family, Ithica, your family."

If he had the strength to cry, he would have.

"That's what you wanted all along isn't it?" Yai leaned in as close as he could. "A family."

Ithica did cry, the tears finally spilling from his eyes.

"Come and be a part of my family." Yai soothed. "Please, Ithica." Yai placed his hand over Ithica's chest, right where the burn started. "Join us, and never hurt again."

Ithica tried to yell out, but all that came was a soft whimper.

Concentrating, Yai projected his thoughts and the very thing that made him who he was. His very essence, into the waiting Padawan. The cut, the deep burn that ran the length of the young man's torso, instantly began to heal. Not fully, but enough so that Ithica wouldn't die. At least, not today.

At last, Ithica sighed and drew in a deep breath; the first breath of his new life. A life that was born out of a presence that Ithica couldn't understand. Part of himself felt very diminished, but another part felt whole. Ithica wanted to call out to the consciousness that he felt in his mind, but that no longer seemed important.

"Welcome to our family," Yai soothed. "Come help us build an Empire."

Part of Ithica objected to that statement but another part, a part that was now gaining a lot of volume, became very excited.

Yai smiled and, in turn, that made Ithica smile.

Softly, as if speaking for the first time, Ithica whispered: "Glory."

"Glory." Yai echoed.


	6. Tyridac makes his saber

* * *

"Remember, Tyridac, it is your duty to be an active member of the force. You are a Jedi. A guardian. A peacemaker, that is your role within the Galaxy." Korin watched as Tyridac levitated his body. Lines of concentration creased Tyridac's knotted brow. Korin applauded the young Padawan. As Tyridac pointed out weeks ago, very few Jedi Guardians were able to use such taxing abilities.

_Here he is,_ Korin thought, _doing in two weeks what took me ten years!_ Korin sighed, Joran was correct, Tyridac was a true Guardian. Long ago, Joran and Korin had learned of the ancient Jedi and how they possessed many varying powers; each unique to a certain Jedi. Over time, he and Joran had learned that Vandaar was able to dominate the will of those he faced in combat. He had done so when he had rooted out the leader of the same Pirates that left Kyle Adaffa for dead.

Other Jedi, such as Yokit the Whill, were able to see the living force. This allowed him to track and observe the movements of people that were going out of their way to stay hidden. This also made them deadly soldiers.

The power that Kyle Adaffa wielded, aside from the fact that he was still connected to the force even though most of his body was machine, was the ability to see the future in isolated bits. Thus making him an oddity amongst the Jedi. Not quite a Seer, but not quite blind to the events that would take place; a sort of precognition.

Tyridac's power, a power he also shared with his twin brother, was the power to channel the force in such a way that he became the force embodied. It was amazing, the way he could manipulate the force with such ease. Korin had been told that every force sensitive was a possible conduit to the river that was the life-giving force, the only thing that differed from Jedi to Jedi was the size of the conduit they could be. For Tyridac and Ithica, it was as if the conduit concept didn't apply at all to the twins. They could, for lack of a better phrase, become the Force.

As for the ability that he and Joran shared, well, that was too much to reveal to anyone.

Tyridac's eyes opened and he locked Korin in a stare. "You were right."

Korin cocked his head to the side.

"This is amazing. Thank you for teaching me!" Tyridac bubbled with shear joy.

"Thus is my duty." Korin smiled back at his Padawan.

Tyridac lowered his body back to the ground and stretched out his legs. He and Korin had already been training for 5 hours today and he was growing hungry. As evidenced by the rumbling in his belly.

Korin was hungry as well but didn't quite feel like going back to the _Ral_ just yet. Korin stretched out and let his eyes gaze up at the violet and blue sky. Dantooine was a tranquil and beautiful planet. In addition to those things, it was also isolated. Korin could hardly believe that, not more than an hour's flight away was a full Jedi Training Sanctuary.

"How long?" Tyridac asked.

"Until we head in for food? Not too much longer, I just want to sit for a moment."

"No, that's not what I meant." Tyridac sighed and looked at the Jedi Mark in his hand. "How long will it be before I can see him again."

Korin stared for a long moment at Tyridac. He felt for the young knight, he truly did. When he and Bender were separated it was torture. The bond they shared, much like the bond that Tyridac and Ithica shared, suffered as a result. Korin could still recall the pain and fear he felt inside. The twisting in his insides each day he would go through his exercises. Causing him doubt every time he called on the force. Only his gift got him through. His gift, and the knowledge that it brought.

Finally, keeping what he knew in mind, Korin answered. "I- I don't know for sure."

"I thought as much."

Korin sat pondering for a long moment. "I've been teaching you a lot about duty. Hell, I don't think I have ever taught you anything that didn't tie back into duty. But for all of this talk about duty and commitment, there is something I haven't yet broached with you. A subject I haven't been too forthcoming with."

Korin stood and unclipped his lightsaber from his hip. "You know how long I've been in this order?"

Tyridac sat upright and watched Korin. The Jedi Knight's eyes were riveted on the Electrum Lightsaber he held. The gold, silver, and black handle gleamed in the waning sunlight and was reflected in Korin's own dark eyes. "I know you've been in it since infancy. Shortly after you were born."

"That's right," It made Korin happy to know Tyridac remembered. "I've been in the Order since before I could remember. My parents gave me up to the Jedi because they couldn't afford another child. I have a brother and two sisters that I have never met. Lorrd has never been a very wealthy planet. Thus I assume that my parents were never that wealthy. Strangely enough, the fact that my parents gave me up with little or no compunction has never bothered me that much."

"The point of what I am trying to tell you is, I've always had knowledge that my destiny lay with the Jedi order." Korin turned and handed his saber to Tyridac. "That's what my other lesson to you is. Destiny. Since I came to the order, I have always been sure of mine, now it is time for me to help you find yours."

Tyridac stared down at the saber in his hand. Lightsabers constructed with Electrum were rare and valuable within the Jedi Order. It took a certain amount of proficiency with the techniques used to construct the casing and the emitter. As a result, Jedi Masters were usually the ones that constructed such a lightsaber. It wasn't Korin's original saber, but it was his pride. Just letting Tyridac hold it was a stretch.

Tyridac smiled, _A Jedi knows no attachment._

"Do you know my destiny?" Tyridac asked as he turned the saber over and over in his hands.

Korin didn't look at Tyridac and he kept his reaction very moderated and controlled. "If I said I did, would you want to know?"

"Of course!" Tyridac forgot the valuable saber in his hand.

Still not turning, Korin continued. "Tyridac, there is something you have to know. Something about me, something about Joran, and something about you and your brother. I'm not sure how to tell you-"

Korin didn't have a chance to finish his sentence. Suddenly, Tyridac doubled over into a ball and cried out. Pure agony split the air and Korin kneeled next to the Padawan.

"Tyridac? What's wrong?" Korin plucked the lightsaber from Tyridac's hands for fear that his convulsing may activate the blade. He unceremoniously tossed it away to land in the grass at a safe distance. Tyridac shook once more and then screamed. His hands knotted up and Korin grabbed him by the shoulders.

Even though Tyridac was shaking and convulsing, Korin still had enough strength to turn the Padawan over on his stomach. Clearing his mind, which was quite a challenging task, Korin placed a hand in between Tyridac's shoulder blades and took a deep breath.

Korin called on a well of memories. He remembered the time that he and Joran had been standing on the roof and had seen a shooting star. He remembered his first time working with Vandaar. He called to memory the feelings he had during his Knighting Ceremony. All of these memories were happy and soothing. Passing them into Tyridac had the desired effect and soon the Padawan calmed. Korin kept his hand on the young Padawan's back to continue to comfort him.

"What is it?" Korin asked again.

"Ithica." Tyridac sighed.

Korin didn't have to ask anymore questions. He knew what had been happening. He knew what was wrong. Something had happened to Ithica. Something bad enough to affect his brother across the vast distance that separated them. Korin hoped that it was just a training accident, though in his mind scenarios were playing out; none of which were very good.

"Come on, can you walk?" Korin slipped Tyridac's arm over his shoulder and lifted the young Padawan off the grass.

Tyridac shivered and his breathing was ragged. Korin carried him a few steps then remembered that his hip felt rather light. Turning and extending his hand, Korin called his saber from the grass and it shot up to meet him. Smiling Korin clipped it to his waist.

* * *

It took the pair some time to reach the _Fearless Ral _and by the time they did Tyridac could, more or less, support himself. They entered the ship to the soft tooling Vee.

Korin helped Tyridac into his bunk and made sure Vee was watching over him before heading to the cockpit. Settling into the communications chair, Korin patched into the Galactic Holo-net and dialed in the _Viller._

After a couple of minutes of beeping, Korin switched off the communications console and leaned back in his seat. That was odd, if anything had happened to Ithica, being in such a remote place, Laurune would have surely been trying to get help.

Flicking the dial, Korin was soon greeted by the sight of Jedi Master Nicshka. "Ah, Korin Nayreese. Ready to call it a night? I have prepared a place for you to stay and it will be dinner time soon."

"Not right now, Nicshka, thank you. I wanted to know if you have received any communications from Master Laurune."

Nicshka turned in the holographic display and searched something unseen. He turned back with a puzzled look on his face. "I'm sorry, Korin, but I'm not allowed to tell you that."

Korin raised an eyebrow. "Come again?"

"This is most odd, I have direct orders from someone in the Republic not to divulge the information on Laurune's whereabouts." Nicshka shrugged. "Though I don't know what all of the fuss is. I don't have any information to keep from you."

"Hmm." Korin sat back in his seat and pondered.

"Is something wrong, Korin?" Nicshka asked.

"I'm not quite sure yet. I will contact you when I have more information. I don't think I will be joining you for dinner tonight." Korin offered a weak smile to the Jedi Master before switching off the feed.

Gathering an idea, Korin switched over to the frequency of one of his long time friends and Republic confidants. It wasn't long before Senator Kreekek's image fluttered into view.

"Senator, it has been a while." Korin smiled at the light blue hologram.

"Korin Nayreese, you old Kubaz! How are you?" The Rhodian Senator approximated a smile with his fleshy snout.

Korin returned the smile, exaggerating big so the Rhodian couldn't mistake the gesture. "It's nice to hear from you, Senator."

"What ever could you want this late. You know us bureaucrats turn in at dinner time! I was just about to head out to this nice Twi'Lek restaurant near the Jedi Temple. If you would like to join me I could hold a table-"

Korin cut the friendly Rhodian off. "I'm afraid I couldn't be there within a day's time. I am on Dantooine at the moment."

"Oh, well, I don't want to wait that long for dinner." The Rhodian chuckled as if remembering some long lost joke; Korin simply stared. Composing himself, Kreekek continued: "To what do I owe the pleasure of this long distance communiqué?"

"I was wondering if you have heard from Master Laurune lately?"

The senator stuttered for a moment. "I-I'm afraid that isn't a subject that I can discuss very openly."

"Please, Senator. I have reason to believe that either Ithica Rohadz or Master Laurune, or maybe even both of them, may be in trouble."

"How could you possibly know such a thing?" Kreekek asked incredulously.

"Shall I bore you with details on the force, or will you take my word for it?"

Kreekek put up his hands in defense. "Forgive my reluctance, Korin. I'm just shocked that you would even have knowledge of who to contact within the Republic regarding Laurune."

"It was, more or less, a guess on my part. I just went to the only one I have had dealings with in the Republic."

"Ah." Kreekek sighed. "Keep this privy, Korin, but Laurune was contracted out by the Republic to investigate the disappearance of a D-15 Cruiser, The_ Hindsight._" Kreekek's hologram shifted nervously. "That order went out about 4 days ago and we have received no report from Master Laurune since then."

Korin's heart began to sink. His fear had been confirmed and now he had a choice to make. Events were in motion that neither he, nor any other member of the council had any control over. Wheels were turning, and the more Korin thought about it, the more he felt like he was getting swept up in their motion.

"Senator, can you do something for me?"

"Of course, Korin, anything."

"Put Magenta Squadron on high alert and find out where they packed away my fighter." Korin began to stand. "Oh, and Senator, don't leave Courascant for a while."

Kreekek stuttered again. "This is most odd. What is going on, Korin?"

"Believe me, Senator, when I have more information you will be one of the first people to know." Korin clicked off the console and turned from the cockpit. There was so much to think about, so much to do, so much to tell. Before he could do any of it, there was one very large loose end to tie up; one final duty. He had a destiny to start.

Korin stalked back through the ship, his mind awash with questions and ideas. Before long, he was standing in front of Tyridac. The young man seemed to be getting along better than a few moments previous.

"My friend." Korin looked into Tyridac's eyes. "We are going to go and find your brother."

Tyridac straightened in his bunk.

"But there is something we, _you_, need to do first."

"What, Korin?"

"My friend, my brother. You have a lightsaber to construct."

* * *

Tyridac stood at the entrance to the cave. A soft breeze of cool air wafted from the entrance. Along with the slight breeze, Tyridac could almost detect a scent. A slickly-sweet scent, like ancient blood.

Dantooine, like most planets in the Republic, was steeped in mystery and ancient history; long forgotten to this day and age. This cave predated even the Galactic Republic. No one knew when it was made, how it was made, or even what it was made of. It simply was. Now, as Tyridac stood at the entrance he suddenly felt out of place.

"The crystal is at the end of the cave, you can't miss it, it dominates the entire room." Korin spoke softly into the earpiece Tyridac had secured to his head. The headset, designed to be worn without the discomfort of a larger communications device, still drove Tyridac crazy.

"There is nothing you have to do to the crystal, simply touch it and it will issue you a crystal."

"Just like that?" Tyridac asked hesitantly.

"Yes, just like that. The crystal, some speculate, has existed since the dawn of this planet. It's what drew the Rakata here, It's what drove the Jedi Order to build a training academy here."

"What does the crystal look like?"

"I cannot tell you that. You must discover it for yourself. I will tell you that it is different for everyone. Just be ready when you see it. Whatever you do, make sure your mind is clear when you face the crystal." Korin warned.

"And if it isn't, if I have a great deal on my mind?" Tyridac's hand clenched instinctively.

"The result isn't desirable." It was Korin's turn to hesitate this time. "I've seen Padawans driven mad by the crystals power. I've seen Masters minds clouded by its defiance. No one can know the crystal and no one can control it. We can only trust it."

_Trust,_ the word echoed in Tyridac's mind. It was so hard to trust. So hard.

"Ok, Korin, wish me luck. I'll be back soon." Tyridac stood for a long moment, his eyes closed. In his mind, he searched for his younger brother. Searched for the spark that was Ithica; always in his mind, always in his thought.

"Good luck, stay safe, Young one." Korin, not more than 50 yards away, watched as Tyridac stepped into the cave. The darkness seemed to swallow him. Eat him up like a great, yawning beast.

It took Tyridac's eyes a moment to adjust to the gloom of the cave. Behind him, by contrast, the outside sunlight seemed as bright as a nova. Ahead, only the light green glow of lichen waited.

The cave was indeed unlike anything Tyridac had ever been in. Although, he didn't actively go spelunking, so there was no frame of reference for this. Still, the cave retained a quality that Tyridac couldn't place. It seemed familiar, yet alien, simple and organic, yet complex and artificial.

"Can you hear me?" Korin's voice crackled in Tyridac's ear.

"Barely, there is a lot of static." Tyridac returned.

"Then I will keep this short. Remember, keep your mind clear and simple. The crystal will guide your way." Korin cleared his throat. "Be safe."

The earpiece crackled one last time, and then Tyridac was plunged into complete silence. Only his breathing kept him company in the dark, dry cave.

Tyridac crouched and ran his hand along the floor of the cave. The lichen wasn't bright enough for him to actually see what the floor looked like, let alone what it was made out of. It felt like shale but wasn't as brittle. There were no harsh cracking sounds as he walked and, indeed, he couldn't pull it up and crumble it in his hands.

Standing, Tyridac stretched out with his senses. His eyes were open and he could feel the cave wall around him. That was the most amazing thing. He could feel the wall in the force.

Most inanimate objects felt like a simple absence in the force like a literal wall or like the literal stone it was made from. Machines created tiny oscillations as parts whirred and moved. The walls of this cave felt alive. If he concentrated, Tyridac could almost use the force as sight.

Continuing deeper into the force cave, Tyridac noticed that there was none of the usual stalagmites or stalactites. The cave, from walls, floors, to ceiling were completely barren. Stranger still, there was a layer of mist that seemed to envelop his feet.

_There is no moisture._ Tyridac affirmed as he dipped his hand into the gray, roiling cloud at his feet. _No moisture at all._

A strange clacking noise caught his attention ahead. His head was up within an instant and his eyes searched every part of the corridor. Nothing. Nothing was up ahead. Still, the clacking came closer.

Tyridac stood his ground as the corridor shimmered up ahead. His mind was awash with possibilities and fear. _What was doing this? _Tyridac's heart leapt as he realized that the corridor was actually growing brighter. Up ahead, a single pinprick of light was floating.

Tyridac's legs and heart told him to run. The muscles in his upper thigh twitched in anticipation. In his mind, however, an urging told him to stay; as if a presence was speaking to the young Padawan.

"Hello." Tyridac finally mustered the courage to speak. The light wobbled as if disturbed by his very voice. The wobbly pinprick floated closer and closer still to Tyridac. His legs positively burned with agitation.

The light was within arms reach now. It still bobbled and made no move until Tyridac took a step forward. He didn't know what compelled him to step forward like that; only a vague sense of direction and, for lack of a better word, purpose.

Tyridac reached out to touch the light but his hand passed right through it. He suddenly felt very sad, as if something had been denied.

The light grew faster and Tyridac had to jog to keep up with the thing. _What is it?_ Tyridac thought. _Where is it leading me_?

After making another left turn and coming into wide room, Tyridac realized where the light had led him. Ahead, hundreds of the lights danced around. So many lights, Tyridac felt light headed. They were beautiful. Each one wove a complex pattern of dips and dives and spins. Their dance was one that Tyridac had never seen before, and would never see again.

The lights seemed to invite him, drew him forward and embraced him within their dance. No matter how far he stepped forward, the lights parted for him and beckoned him. They were so delicate.

Pure, unadulterated joy filled Tyridac's senses his very mind. He had never felt so complete, so, loved. The lights danced around him and the stars wheeled overhead. Tyridac never wanted to leave this place. He never wanted to go and fight again.

Nothing mattered anymore. His brother, Korin, Joran, Vandaar, Adaffa, none of it meant a thing to him. Here, amongst these lights, he was whole. Not a Jedi, not a person, a creature of the force.

With that thought, Tyridac realized something he had failed to notice earlier. These lights, he wasn't seeing them through his eyes, he was seeing them through the force. Creatures of the force.

"What are you?" He asked aloud, his voice barely above a whisper.

The creatures of the light ignored him, save for one. The one that had led him here, Tyridac didn't know how he knew, he just did. _We are._ A voice spoke in his mind.

"Are what?"

_Are simply. _

That was enough, he needed no more explanation. They were, just as Tyridac was.

_What are you? _The soft light asked.

Tyridac didn't hear the light with his ears, for they were made of crude matter, he heard within the force. Within his mind, within his soul. "I am a human."

_That is your shell, what are you?_

Tyridac thought for a long moment. He stared at the light, all the while feeling like he could fall within and never return to the surface. Finally, an answer came to him. "I am a Jedi," he stated, "a child of the force."

The light bobbled for a moment and others around him ceased their dance. Tyridac suddenly felt all eyes, if they could be called that, were upon him.

_Why are you here?_

"I came for a crystal. To construct my lightsaber."

Tyridac felt a shudder in the air. All of the lights now stopped their dance and were watching him. He could hear faint glimmerings of words. _Hate. Murder. Destruction. Death._ So many words, all in his mind. Tyridac shuddered back.

_You come for death._

"No!" Tyridac shouted. Some of the lights shifted away from him. The one that led him here remained still. "I have no want of death. I am a Jedi. A protector of life, that is what I am." Tyridac echoed Korin's words.

Some of the lights floated closer; still others remained at a safe distance. Tyridac felt foolish for crying out earlier; like a child that had disturbed his parents' conversation.

_You believe in life?_

"Yes, so much. Life is precious in the force. We are all children of it."

_Yes._ The creature echoed. _Much strife surrounds you, much yet will come. Will you remember what you have told us? Will you remember that life is important?_

"Always," Tyridac whispered, "life, the force, is beautiful."

_Go and claim your crystal, Jedi Friend._ The lights started to float away from the Padawan.

"No, I don't want to leave. I want to stay with you all." Tyridac pleaded with the light.

_You cannot; not here, not now._

_"_Will I ever come back?" Tyridac asked, tears welling up in his eyes.

_You are a child of the force, when it is time, you won't need to come back._

With that, the lights began to blink out of existence. One by one, they left, until only the one that led Tyridac remained.

_Jedi, Padawan you are not._

Then, it was gone. Tyridac was plunged into pure darkness. A dark so dark that Tyridac feared he would never return. Never, even without Ithica, had Tyridac ever felt so alone.

Tyridac sunk hard to his knees. The pounding that created was like a final report. It echoed around him and brought him fully back into his own mind. He was alone. Alone. That word echoed like the impact from his knees.

Tyridac put his face into his hands and wept.

* * *

Having regained his composure after a few minutes, Tyridac continued through the cave. After the room of Lights, the cave began to become more natural. Mineral deposits and a general wetness began to cling to everything. Including Tyridac.

It wasn't long before he emerged into a wide sweeping chamber. The ceiling disappeared overhead and only one thing stood in the cavern: the crystal.

Untold eons ago, ages even, this crystal must have been formed. Tyridac suddenly felt like the entire world of Dantooine was created from this crystal. The crystal was a bright blue and resonated in the hollow chamber. The object amplified every noise that Tyridac made.

Tyridac closed his eyes and reached out with the force. As he expanded, his force-sight picked up again and he could see so many colors; all of which emanated from the crystal. _The origin,_ Tyridac thought, _that's what this thing is._

"A very apt name." A voice echoed in the dark.

Tyridac dropped into a defensive stance and searched the darkness. "Who's there."

"No one you need to fear, young one. I have long since been denied my mortal body." The air shimmered again and Tyridac thought, for a moment, that the lights had returned. Instead, a figure emerged within the force. This one was distinctively human. He even wore robes. Tyridac assumed he was a Jedi, though the robes were none he had ever seen before.

"You're astute. I was a Jedi. Though that was quite some time ago. You don't recognize my face?" The phantom asked.

"No, Master, I am sorry." Tyridac apologized.

"No need to be sorry. Time has probably erased my memory on the physical plain. I am, was, Jedi Master Lorudi Unduli. I trained all of my Padawans here and the Jedi Council saw fit to establish the Training Temple here." The phantom bowed low.

Tyridac mirrored the bow. "I am pleased to meet you, Master Jedi. It is an honor."

"The honor is all mine. Tell me, are you here to get a crystal?"

"Yes." Tyridac answered.

"Where does your heart lay? With the order, or with yourself?" The ancient ghost queried.

Tyridac had to think for a moment. "Is it alright if I do not know?"

"Of course, uncertainty is part of life. Recognizing your own shortsightedness is a useful skill within the Jedi Order. Who is your Master?"

Tyridac smiled. "My Master is the force. My teacher is Korin Nayreese."

The ghost returned the smile. "Correct." The phantom turned towards the crystal. "Soon, my task as the guardian of the crystal will be complete. I will be able to become the force. The Jedi will have no more use of this soon. It is an honor to serve you, young Tyridac."

The ancient Jedi passed his ethereal hand through the crystal and came out holding something. He presented his flat palm to Tyridac. Tyridac looked at the outstretched hand and became puzzled.

Instead of one crystal, the hand held two. One was visibly gold, the same hue as Korin's own saber. Tyridac became pleased but then more puzzled. The other crystal was red. Not just any red, blood red; darker than any crystal he had ever seen.

"What is this?" Tyridac asked the ghost.

The phantom looked up at Tyridac and dropped the crystals onto the ground. "Leave this place." The ghost's voice boomed. "Leave and never return. You are no longer welcome, child of death."

"What are you talking about?" Tyridac stepped towards the ghost.

"Never before has the crystal granted two to one Jedi. This is a sign. You have been marked." The ghost shimmered violently.

"Marked for what. I don't understand." Tyridac was furious, it always irked him when older Jedi would speak in riddles. This Jedi had existed for thousands of years; no telling how cryptic he was by now.

"It isn't your place to question destiny. It is your duty to walk the path it lays out for you."

"I don't even have the chance to question my own destiny?" Tyridac stepped right up to the ancient spirit.

"Such questions do no good in the long run of the force." The spirit argued.

"You can't be serious. How can we understand our destiny if we don't question the path? It's all well and good for us to trust in destiny, but that can never be enough." Korin pleaded.

"Your view of the force and destiny are skewed. We will speak no more on this. Take your crystals and leave this place. You are no longer welcome in this bastion of the light-side, child of darkness, child of death." With that, the ghost of the ancient Master Unduli winked out of existence; just as the creatures of the force and light had.

Tyridac stooped and gathered up the fallen gems. Everything felt dull. The crystal no longer pulsated. The entire cave seemed to press in on the young Jedi. Feeling colder than he has ever felt before, Tyridac stalked out of the place, never to return.

* * *

As Tyridac stepped into the light Korin's voice crackled over the comm. "The crystal will guide your way, Be safe."

Tyridac cocked his head to the side and stared at the Ral.

"What are you doing?" Korin asked. "What's going on?"

"What do you mean?" Tyridac returned.

"I mean, why are you wasting time, get into the cave and get your crystal." Korin sounded agitated but Tyridac knew he was just worried.

"Korin, I don't know what you are talking about. I already have my crystals." Tyridac froze. _Crystal, you idiot._

"What?" Korin sputtered into the comm.

"I've already been in and out. It's taken me at least two hours."

"You haven't been gone more than 2 seconds." Korin came strolling out of the Ral. Tyridac jogged to meet the Jedi Knight.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Korin. Look!" Tyridac held up the Golden Crystal as he approached the Knight. Korin's mouth fell agape.

"That's not possible. It took me so long to return from the cave." Korin looked back at the cave. "There were always stories about bizarre time fluctuations, I never thought they were true. Stories of creatures that existed in an alternate dimension."

Tyridac shuddered. He suddenly didn't like the cave very much. He wanted to leave very badly. "Let's get out of here. We need to find my brother."

It took a long moment for Korin to respond. "Yes, we do." Turning he smiled to his Padawan. "I'm glad you have a crystal. Have you decided your path yet?"

Tyridac's mind told him not to answer, but his heart spoke anyway. "Yes, Master." He smiled at Korin. "I am a Jedi Guardian. Born and bred.

Korin's smile grew wider.

"We have a long flight ahead of us." Korin and Tyridac began walking towards the Ral. The entire stroll, Tyridac couldn't shake the feeling of dread that was building in his gut.


	7. Tyridac and Korin vs Refa

The temple was dark as Tyridac and Korin approached. They had finally set down on the moon of Callist after a week in hyperspace. Tyridac couldn't have been happier to exit the Fearless Ral. The Ral was a modified troop transport that allowed more room than a normal passenger ship but still felt cramped. Throughout the flight Tyridac had worked on his new saber and, one day out, had completed it. It was a beautiful work, large enough for two hands but not so long that it became clumsy. He had taken a drawstring from his robes sleeves and used it to wrap the hilt. It was completely smooth save for the black opal activation switch, which was only stuck about a half an inch out.

Tyridac had hidden the red crystal that the cave had produced for him. He had no idea why he received the thing or what it meant. Despite what he was feeling he didn't dare tell Korin. There were some things that no one would know about. The red crystal was one of them.

Korin sighed as he dropped the search glasses from his face. Night was quickly approaching and they hadn't made contact with anyone. The only thing they had found was the Viller, Laurune's personal shuttle. Korin dropped his hands down to the saber on his hip and unhooked it.

"We expecting something?" Tyridac freed his saber and moved forward to Korin's side.

"I'm not sure. None of this seems right; the shuttle and the temple. Laurune had said nothing about coming to this planet or about the temple. Plus, for you and I to be here without having felt them; that's what really disturbs me." Korin stared off in the direction of the temple, not knowing what his next move was.

"Well, shall we?" Tyridac raised from the crouch both he and Korin were in.

"Look at you, Mr. Craves Action." Korin chuckled as he stood. "Since when did you become so proactive?"

"About the time all of the Vynocks were flying at me." Tyridac shivered, remembering the sting as the creatures tore into his skin. "That would cause anyone to change their ways."  
Korin smiled at his Padawan. "Got my six?"

"Fly low and fast lead." The two smiled, then made their way out into the open.

Tyridac surveyed the surrounding area as they moved through the depression. From the forest it seemed like they could see everything. Now that they were in the open, however, it looked like they were staring at flat walls in all directions. When he and Korin reached the temple he was more than ready to be out of the open. Swiftly, they ducked inside.

"Here," Korin said as he pulled a glow lamp from his pocket, "watch your step." Korin tightened the grip on his saber. A chill ran up his spine as a cold breeze wafted from in the temple. Korin and Tyridac made their way swiftly into the amphitheater, both scanning the large statues that ringed the stage in the middle. "These statues. They are old. Far older than what this temple looks."

"What do you mean?" Tyridac reached his hand out to touch one.

"No!" Korin swatted Tyridac hand. "You don't want to touch anything in this place."

"Why, I feel nothing from this place."

"That's just the point. I don't feel whether or not this place is malevolent or of the light side. I want to be absolutely sure before I go fondling the artwork." Korin cocked his head to the side as he stepped onto the stage. "What is that?"

Korin started to move forward when a terrible smell assaulted his nostrils. All at once he could tell what the smell was and a lump started in his throat. There on the stage, lay the body of Laurune. Though badly decomposed there was no mistaking the saber that the lifeless hand clutched. Korin turned his had away and fought the bile that was rising in his throat.

"Oh no." Tyridac covered his mouth as he stared at the dismembered corpse. "Who? Who could have done something like this?"

Korin's only response was a shake of his head. His hand was still clamped firmly over his mouth.

"Could it have been an accident. Maybe Ithica went a little too hard on his training." Tyridac knelt down and looked at where the limbs were severed.

"No," Korin choked out, "if Ithica had hit him he would have instantly stopped. He couldn't have done this." Korin turned to look at the gruesome scene. "He was executed like Jedi from the war."

A sharp clap rang out, followed by another. They were slow and meant to startle the two Jedi. Tyridac and Korin turned as a man emerged from the shadows.

"Very astute Korin. I knew I liked you for a reason." The deep green moon bathed the man in ghastly shadows. He stepped completely from the shadows and raised his gloved hands. "Too bad I can't convince you to join us. You would be a great partner." There was a tinge of sarcasm in the man's voice.

"Just who do you think you are?" Tyridac began to move forward but was stopped as Korin's arm shot up; blocking his way.

"I didn't think that I would ever see you again, Refa." Korin brought his saber to bare, still unignited. "Are you responsible for this?"

Refa smiled as he unclipped his saber from his belt. "No, my friend, but I was watching as it happened. Let me tell you, I would have expected Laurune to put up more of a fight."

Korin suppressed his anger. Calling on the force to help steady his arms. It was hard but soon he felt calm returning to his body. "What do you want, Refa?"

Refa's smile grew wider. "Both of you and all of the Jedi order just like Laurune there. Dead and forgotten." Refa thumbed his saber to life. The crimson blade spilling out to fight back the green shadows of the moon.

"It will take a lot more than a declaration and a red saber to destroy the Jedi order. Personally, I don't think you have it in you." Korin and Tyridac ignited their sabers, twin golden shafts of light screeching to life. They drowned out the red of the Dark Jedi that stood before them.

"Fair enough my friend." The Dark Jedi spun his saber around in a wide arc that ended with it straight out to the side. "If that is how you want to play."

Both Tyridac and Korin rotated their sabers and lowered them to their sides, blades extending away from their hips. The two, Master and Padawan, mirrored the others movements. Shii-cho wasn't the most fancy of the fencing forms, but it was effective for two Jedi to use in conjunction. Tyridac tightened his grip on his saber and leveled his eyes on Refa. The Dark Jedi didn't return the gaze.

Slowly, Refa began to shuffle forward. Each step was meant to cover distance without overbalancing or overextending. Refa knew Korin was an experienced Jedi fighter but he wasn't sure about Tyridac. Refa had heard the stories of how Tyridac had almost bested Joran Bender but seeing the way he held his saber made Refa question whether or not the stories were true. This kid seemed nothing more than a puppet of his master. He began to rotate his saber. Each pass nicked the ground, creating a small black gouge in the stone. There were similar marks all over this temple. Refa's marks would become part of the legend of this place.

Refa dipped his saber then flicked it out to the side. He wasn't in striking range of Korin or Tyridac. The swing was meant as a diversion, a ruse to draw out the two Jedi. Tyridac took the bait. As the swing carried past Korin the younger Jedi stepped forward and batted Refa's crimson blade. Refa used the momentum from Tyridac's hit to spin his body around and bring the saber into another swing. This one aimed at to separate Tyridac's skull from the eyes up. The younger man ducked below the swing and Korin stepped in to meet the saber. He struck the saber and bounced his blade back to bring down across the Dark Jedi's body. Refa wasn't fooled by the faint and blocked the blow.

Tyridac came around again and met Refa's saber. He flicked Refa's crimson blade down and brought his saber up and around in a slash just like Refa had directed at him. Refa easily blocked it and brought his saber across to bat another strike by Korin. Refa took a step back to draw Tyridac in. Once again, to Refa's delight, Tyridac stepped forward and gave Refa his opening. A quick strike with his saber directed at Tyridac's waist. Tyridac blocked it using the fifth zone and left the rest of his body completely open. If Refa had swung his saber around it would have never connected, instead Refa threw up his hand and let the force spill out of his hand and impact right on Tyridac's chest.

It was like a ferrocrete wall had taken a running jump right into Tyridac's chest as he flew back through the air. He instantly cursed himself as he tumbled back and landed hard on the stone stage. He quickly used his momentum to somersault backwards and scrambled back to his feet.

Korin moved his feet forward and met Refa's saber at head height. The Jedi and the Dark Jedi carried out a series of flicks up and down as Korin drove the Dark Jedi back. On the 5th set of flicks Korin spun low to sweep Refa's feet out from under him. The Dark Jedi leaped above it and brought his blade straight down. Korin blocked high as he rose to his feet. He quickened the force under him and forced Refa off balance. Refa stumbled back as Korin started to move in.

Sensing his Padawan to his left, Korin shifted his saber and stepped to the side as the two Jedi closed with the Dark. They kept their saber swings short, striking only at small zones that were easy to defend against. These blows weren't intended to accomplish anything other than give Refa a false sense of security. That, they accomplished.

Refa backed up step by step, easily blocking the strikes the Jedi threw at him. If this was what all Jedi would be like, Refa was unafraid. He just had to wait until the two Jedi tired them selves out and he would strike. Two quick thrusts would end the two foes and he would be a legend among his peers. Refa smiled but that smile didn't last as his heels hit the wall behind him. Panic quickly set in as he realized that he had walked right into the Jedi's trap. Refa tried to fight them back but they both intensified their strikes and kept Refa pinned.

Tyridac and Korin slapped his saber away and spun their sabers over their heads. They brought them down with an overhead strike as Refa brought his saber up to block. Korin and Tyridac, moving as if they were the same person, brought their foots up into Refa's stomach. The Dark Jedi doubled over. He wanted to cry out but he couldn't. Korin and Tyridac both spun Korin on his left and Tyridac on his right. As they spun, they both brought their sabers up through Refa's chest; separating everything from his heart up from the rest of his body.

The two parts of Refa tumbled to the stone floor and landed with a sickening thud. Korin snatched Refa's saber from his dying fingers and cleaved the device in half. The saber hilt flashed as the electronic parts contained within shorted out. The saber tumbled to the ground, now little more than scrap.

The two Jedi then stood there. Neither looking at the body that lay on the ground. Tyridac was breathing hard and had his eyes closed. This was the first time Tyridac had fought anyone else and surely the first time he had taken part in killing somebody. He had only known Refa in passing and wasn't even aware that he left the order. His body ached with pain at the act he just committed and he could feel tears start to well up in his eyes.

Korin reached out his hand and placed it on his Padawan's shoulder. "That was the first time I have done that too." He spoke softly. "I'm sorry you had to take part in the death of another living thing. If I could have spared you from that I would have but what's done is done." Korin had to stop talking because he could feel another lump forming in his throat. The emotion was too close to the surface to be hidden.

Tyridac reached his hand up and reciprocated Korin's touch. "What now, master?"

Korin sighed and tried to banish as much emotion as he could. "We have to head back to the council." Korin spoke as he crouched down to search Refa's corpse. Not an act that he would choose to do. Simply one he had to do.

As he searched he found a small disk and pulled it from Refa's hip pocket. The disk was black and had no markings on its surface. While he looked at the disk Tyridac walked out and looked around the rest of the amphitheater.

"I can't feel Ithica here." Tyridac's shoulders sagged. "If he was here he is long gone."

"Don't despair, young one." Korin came up on his left and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We will find him. For now we have a duty to report to the council."

"Okay. Let's head out. This place gives me chills." Tyridac shuddered as he and Korin began to walk out of the temple.

"In that sentiment," Korin gathered his robes around him as he spoke, "you are not alone."

The trip back to Dantooine was slower than the Two Jedi would have liked. The time was spent examining the disk. Korin found a way to open it and examined the interior. It was by no means a holocron. It was simply a text repository containing short histories of Ajunta Pall and Naga Sadow. It also had a training script for a Sith technique to dominate the minds of animals. The training meant nothing to Korin because the requisite for the skill wasn't included in the text. The Repository also didn't contain any information as to where Refa was operating from or what his mission to Callist was.

After Korin and Tyridac were content that they had learned everything they were going to from the device, they began to meditate. Korin dwelled on the act that he had committed when he killed Refa and he dwelled on what it did to the force within his body.

Tyridac's meditation was choppy and fevered. He sought out Ithica with his mind and would occasionally catch glimpses of his brother. They would be disjointed and every time Tyridac tried to search out some kind of landmark to identify where his brother was. He was unsuccessful in finding anything. The other part of his meditation was spent trying to seek out the future. He wanted to understand what the red crystal he received meant. The cave was supposed to know what kind of Jedi he was going to be and the red crystal stumped him.

Korin and Tyridac were snapped out of their meditation when T5-V5 bleeped at them. The astromech tooled that they were setting down at the Jedi Temple. Dantooine had a small spaceport that could really only provide temporary housing for ships. That didn't concern Korin much, he didn't intend to be on Dantooine for long. He simply wanted to report to the council and then begin his search for Laurune's killer.

A soft thump told him that the Fearless Ral was safely down on the landing pad. He and Tyridac gathered their things and left the ship. As they descended the loading ramp a hooded figure approached. Korin had no problem recognizing Joran but what concerned him were the waves of confusion emanating from the Jedi Knight.

"Joran, it's good to see you again, friend." Korin paused at the end of the ramp and Tyridac nearly bumped into him.

"Korin, hello. May we speak." Joran's head turned, almost imperceptibly, towards Tyridac. "Alone."

Korin turned to his Padawan. "If you would please." He offered Tyridac a smile.

"I'll secure our things in our rooms." Tyridac smiled. "Your combination still the same?"

"Wait. How do you know what my combination is?" Korin let a bit of playful edge creep into his question. Tyridac's response was a simple smile as he moved away from the two Jedi Knights.

"So what's up?" Korin turned back towards Joran.

"The last of my students left today." Joran spoke as he pulled the hood back from around his head. His eyes were bloodshot.

"What do you mean 'left'?" Korin crossed his arms.

"I mean left. Just like Sierra and Kelto." Joran paused to remember the two other students that were in his fencing school.

The gravity of what Joran was telling him finally hit him. "Oh no."

"Yeah. Worse yet, he invited me to come with him." Joran dug into his pocket. "He gave me this." He produced a small round, black disk. "It contains information on how I will be able to contact him."

Korin's mouth dropped open as he stared at the disk. Identical to the one that he had in his pocket. "Joran. Come with me to meet with the council."

"What? Why?"

"Because," Korin retrieved the disk from his pocket, "I think we have a huge problem." Joran's eyes widened as what Korin was holding finally hit him. "And if I am right, then the entire Jedi order is in trouble."


	8. Elik Station Falls

"My legs hurt, Lead." The comm crackled as the complaint of the fighter pilot came through. Lieutenant Naeduk sighed.

"What say we keep this channel clear for flight related chatter." Naeduk's second in command said fiercely. The young human female had established herself as somewhat of a workaholic among the fighter squadron. She was barely 3 months out of basic and was already considered an ace by many of the other pilots. Hence why she had attained such a high rank.

The fighters were nothing more than a formality. With over 600 patrols of Elik station, not once had the fighters ever faced any action. Thus is why Naeduk had programmed an auto pilot system that would take them through the rounds of the station's perimeter. He would never tell anyone that he had done that. It was his little secret. No doubt many on this squadron had similar secrets.

"I would say this is flight related. What do you think, Lead?" The fighter pilot, Jells, said again. The young Twi'Lek liked to default to the commander, who was also a Twi'Lek.

"No, no. I am not getting into you two's personal war." Naeduk chuckled. Elik station was usually the first stop for Twi'Lek's that entered the Republic for service. The Ryloth system was fairly remote. With only one space-lane in the system, it wasn't a place many people went to visit.

"How can your legs be tired, you're weightless!" The second in command, Liaza, said.

"I've been crammed in this Hammerhead too long." Jells complained.

"Oh deal with it." Liaza scolded him, a good-natured chuckle creeping into her voice.

_Good, she's loosening up._ Naeduk thought. The Hammerhead fighters were uncomfortable after several hours. At close to eight hours, this squad was soon to retire for the night.

"Let's call it a night, Patrol." Naeduk disengaged the autopilot and brought his fighter around in a wide arc to face Elik Station. The station's honeycomb layout loomed before the approaching fighters. A large rectangle door was already cycling open for the fighters. Naeduk sighed. _Another day at the office._

"Hey, Lead. Something's coming out of Hyperspace." Jells said. "Anything supposed to be coming in?"

"Not that I know of, get me a reading." Naeduk swiveled his fighter around and looked ahead.

"Woah, it's big, whatever it is." Jells brought his fighter on the right of Naeduk's. "I've never seen any configu- oh my."

Jells trailed off as their vision was filled with a giant silver hulk. The gigantic dagger-shaped ship flashed out of hyperspace. The bulk was studded with dozens of "hard points"; Fighter-pilot slang for anti-fighter laser turrets.

Fighters streamed out of the bulk of the unidentified ship; small wings unfolding from their bodies. Naeduk watched as they aligned themselves into a formation he didn't recognize and began to close on the station.

"Transmit friendly." Naeduk said.

"We're jammed!" Liaza shouted into the comm.

"Alright, form up." Liaza had already dropped in next to Naeduk. "Are they hostile?" Naeduk switched over to station frequency.

"It's the Dagger ship. This thing destroyed the _Hindsight _and the _Jaunt. _Extremely hostile! Repeat ext-"

Naeduk clicked over his comm. "They're hot! Patrol, watch yourself."

The fighters were already closing in fast. Faster than Naeduk was prepared for. "Stay calm boys and girls."

The distance ticked steadily away. Naeduk was about to run a secondary check when the fighters let loose streams of lasers. Naeduk didn't know how to react. _They can't reach us at this distance. Unless-_

"Watch out!" Naeduk yelled as he juked his fighter up on its side. He was blinded momentarily as his shields soaked up the energy the enemy fighters let loose. Naeduk blinked several times as he rolled his fighter around to face the enemy that he just passed.

Naeduk's blood ran cold. "Patrol, check in." His eyes darted from wreckage to wreckage as he searched for survivors. "Patrol! Check in!"

A gravely voice came into his earpiece. "This is Jells. I'm dead in space."

Naeduk caught sight of Jells' fighter. It listed off to the left of him and was rapidly venting atmosphere. "How's your air?"

"I've sealed the cockpit. My systems are dead."

"Anyone else?" Naeduk paused. His targeting computer parsed and examined the surrounding area. There were 7 identifiable pieces of bodies; each stemmed from a different body. That meant that Jells and He were the only ones left.

Naeduk couldn't believe it. He wouldn't believe it. Sure, they had never seen combat. They hadn't even flown many combat simulations. But to be wiped out that quick? How could the fighters have been picked apart like that? Naeduk's blood ran cold. He would be damned if he let Jells meet the same fate.

"Hold on, Jells!" Naeduk whipped his fighters across and settled above the carcass of Jells' fighter. He extended a tow-cable and latched onto the top of his wingman's fighter. "We're getting the hell out of here."

Naeduk goosed the throttle and headed towards the safety of Elik station. The honeycomb structure slowly filled their vision. Too slowly, for Naeduk's tastes.

"Elik please tell me that you have help on the way." Naeduk glanced about in his cockpit, looking for the fighters that had decimated his squadron. Could hear Jells' labored breathing in his ear. He had left his mic on but Naeduk didn't have time to care.

"Negative Patrol 1. We are unable to take down the deflector screen to allow exit flights." Naeduk could hear klaxons blaring in the background.

"Does that mean that we are stuck out here?" Naeduk winced as he caught sight of the fighters. They were busy picking apart a freighter that had wandered too close. This was rapidly turning into a slaughter.

"'Fraid so." With that, the discussion was now over. Naeduk franticly searched for options. He disconnected the tow-cable from Jells' fighter and rolled around.

"Jells, listen to me." Naeduk pulled as close to Jells fighter as his shields would let him. "We have to get your systems back online."

"It's no good, Lead. My reactor is fine but I can't achieve critical mass to start her up."

"That's why we're gonna improvise. Open your charge port." Naeduk started to slowly move his fighter to the side of Jells.

Jells pulled the emergency opener and a small hatch levered open on the side of his fighter. "What are you planning, Lead?"

"Something crazy. If you can, dial up the acceptance meter to full. I've got to line up." Naeduk dropped his shields and struggled his fighter up against the open port. The barrel of his energy cannon jittered around the open port. Finally, with one final lurch, he shoved the barrel, rather unceremoniously, into the receptacle.

"Oh, hell no! Not this! I've heard too many horror stories.

"Don't be a Chadra-Fan. This'll only take a second." Naeduk dialed down the intensity of his cannon. He only had one shot, literally, any more might shred the fighter he was fighting to save. "On three."

"Wait! Wait! One, two, three then shoot. Or one, two, shoot on three."

"On three! One! Two!" Naeduk squeezed off a shot. The blue laser flashed momentarily. The dialed down intensity met with the converter on the inside of the engine housing. What the converter couldn't handle was absorbed. That absorption directly resulted in the melting of the converter. Unfortunately, Over his comm. He could hear Jells scream.

"You said on three!" The lights in Jells' cockpit came alive and Naeduk sighed as he pulled his fighter back. He saved him, luckily. "Other than scaring the hutt out of me, my systems are back up."

"Good, now we may just get out of this alive." Naeduk turned his fighter around to face the incoming fighters. His muscles were filled with a cold determination. "And we might just give them a run for their money." The unknown fighters were closing the distance. "Form up!" Naeduk roared!

"How many more micro-jumps?" Tyridac leaned back in his fighter and watched the swirl of hyper-space around his fighter.

"One more after we revert, then it's right to Courscant." Korin sighed out as he typed a message to his droid. The little astromech tooled softly into his earpiece. "I can't wait to be out of this thing."

"You and I both." Joran Bender sighed. It had been close to 6 hours since their last jump into hyperspace. The three fighters slaved together would expend less energy in their jumps and thus, burned less fuel. Ever since their scouting mission, Joran was beginning to dislike the cockpit of the fighter.

"We could stretch our legs at the station if you want." Korin crossed his arms and stared at the infinite tunnel of light. "We have some extra time."

"No, let's just get this over with." Joran scooted up in his seat. "We should be coming out now. Orient on tac-plane 2. 1134 mark 6629." With a snap, the three Jedi Fighters were plunged back into real-space. The garish light of hyperspace dissolved into billions of pinpoints and became stars. Joran smiled. He would never get tired of seeing the stars. Cramped though he was.

"Orienting now," Tyridac reported. His fighter wheeled around to face a distant point in the heavens.

Joran was about to do the same when something caught his eye. Off in the distance, almost out of visual range, loomed Elik station. At first, Joran didn't know what he was seeing. He didn't realize that he was watching a massacre. Visible, even from several kilometers away, were giant plumes of fire.

"Hold on that jump."

"I see it." Korin had already turned his fighter to face the station that was ablaze. Not only had Korin seen that, he also saw the huge Dagger ship that was on the attack. Gouts and gouts of laser fire poured from the war-ship. The station's meager defenses were nothing compared to the onslaught that was being poured out upon it.

"That looks like our quarry." Joran said as he dialed up his fighter's shields. The energy-bubble encased his ship and Joran was ready for action. "Kor, is there any chatter from the station?"

"Nothing on the main channels. It looks like the station has been hit really hard." Korin shifted nervously in his fighter. Whatever he was concerned about, he didn't voice.

It was Tyridac that was unable to keep it in. "We have to go see if there are survivors."

"Agreed." Joran moved his fighter up along Korins, eagerly waiting for his answer.

"No argument here. But we're going in hot. I don't want to give any of those fighters a target for long." Korin goosed his throttle up and flew hard and fast at the large ship. Korin's fighter pulled in front of Joran's and Tyridac's.

"I count two snub fighters. They are both quite damaged." In the distance, Tyridac could see the limping fighters trying desperately to keep the unknown fighters off of the station. The distance between Tyridac's fighter and them was clicking away fast.

The com crackled as a raspy voice came through. "Watch out, they have a longer range than we do."

"To whom am I speaking?" Korin asked.

"To whom am I speaking?" The voice returned.

"I asked first." Korin bantered.

"I don't have time for games! Come in range and I'll fire if you don't identify yourself."

"Calm down, sir. My name is Korin Nayreese and these two with me are my Jedi companions: Joran Bender and Tyridac Rohadz." Korin angled his fighter to skirt the edges of the battle-zone.

"Jedi? You guys are Jedi?" The voice took on a different air. Tyridac couldn't quite place what it was. "Sweet Maker, Jells! We might just get out of this yet!"

Tyridac assumed that Jells was the man's wingmate. The two fighters juked in and out of enemy fire. Each time they would fade in front and behind one another. _They're quite skilled for backwater security-guards._

"Heads up!" Korin ducked his Jedi Star-fighter to the left. Red lasers streamed past his bow and forced him to bring his fighter into a tight spiral. He swung the bow around and leveled in on the unknown fighter that was trailing him. Korin squeezed off a quick burst from his lasers and started to veer off. He stopped when he realized that his blasts hadn't ended the fighter like he had intended. Korin gritted his teeth and squeezed off 2 more blasts. The first one, like his original, was absorbed into the shields. The second one found it's mark and blasted home, tearing through the back of the V-shaped craft. Wing pylons shredded and spun off as the fighter, what was left of it rather, floated away, doomed to wander space until some celestial body claimed it.

"Patrol fighters, drop back to 336 mark 723. We'll protect you at those coordinates. Watch our flank and we'll come out of here alive." Korin thought for a moment. "And get on the horn to the station and clear us an entry path.

Turning his fighter around, Korin could see Joran juking around into the path of an oncoming fighter. His blue laser-light streamed out right as the enemy let loose, Joran's fighter was small and more nimble. He proved this by simply rolling onto his wing. The deadly streams of red-death missed his fighter by only about a meter, Joran's blasts hit dead on and shredded the transparasteel skin of the cockpit. The blasts that followed blew the fighter into another existence and Joran flew straight through the debris; his shields only blinked at the hot gas and molten durasteel.

Korin glanced to the left and found Tyridac already on his wing. The new Jedi Knight gave a thumbs up to Korin, this brought a smile to his face. Korin was about to say something to him, when a bright flash diverted his attention.

"Oh my." Tyridac uttered into the com.

A great plume of fire rocketed out from where a large laser had pierced the hull. Debris and body parts poured out of the wound in the station's skin. Another lancing bolt slammed the station's midrange; this one brought the durasteel hull to a boil and delivered a shocking hit. Another and then another bolt slammed into the station. All poured out of the Dagger Ship that bore down on it's quarry. The Jedi were horrified when a series of bolts impacted in a straight line down the center of the great station. A rip, followed by a gout of fire, bodies, and gas appeared.

All of the pilots were in shock as Elik station was rend in two. Korin's hands fell from the controls of his Star-Fighter as the gruesome scene spread out in front of him. He couldn't contain his horror as he sighed out. A great scar in the force struck him as life after life was extinguished. Such closeness to death magnified it by a thousand fold and tears came to his eyes.

"Elik station! Elik station come in!" Joran screamed into the com. Nothing but static returned his cries.

"Fall back," Korin commanded. He wheeled his fighter about and sped away as fast as his ship would take him. Joran was soon to follow, this urged Tyridac to join in. Soon, the three Jedi fighters were speeding away from the station at top speed.

"Fire is raging through the station, all of the oxygen is combusting. Five to six minutes until air reserves are depleted." Joran wrenched his fighter around, his conscience was busy gnawing away at him. "Korin, do we go back?"

"What good would it do, Joran?" Korin looked out of the side of his cockpit at his Jedi companion. "You said yourself that they will be out of oxygen and other breathable gas in five to six minutes."

"Yeah, but-"

"But nothing. We have to call it quits on this one, my friend. Besides, we're vastly outnumbered." Korin squirmed around in his cockpit to get a glimpse at the fighters his astromech was screaming about. The squadron that had been pummeling the station was now on an intercept course. Korin winced, they had to make a jump, and soon.

"Patrol fighters, can you make the jump to light-speed?" Korin's fingers played across the console in front of him. Since his time with his Republic fighter squadron, Magenta Squadron, he had become accustomed to making hyperspace calculations with his astromech. The little droid beeped and blooped as the pair worked in tandem to chart a safe course through space.

"Negative. We're short range patrols, no hyperspace capability."

Korin winced, that wasn't good. "Zip, start calculations for a tandem jump. Calculate for increased mass with the two fighters piggy-backing." The droid tooled and went to work. Korin angled his fighter closer to the two patrol craft. "Joran, Tyridac, we need to umbilical all of us together somehow." Korin's fingers danced across his instruments. The tether used to tow ship slowly extended to lock onto the patrol craft. The physics of faster than light travel were odd in the sense that when you had a physical connection, no matter how small, that mass becomes your own. Korin considered this as he tethered the lead patrol. The comm was silent as the three Jedi pilots worked to save the last two survivors. With a thump, Korin connected to the fighter. With a glance, he could see Joran's fighter do the same.

"We locked, Joran?" Korin's mind was instantly back to the calculations.

"We're hooked and ready. Now we just have to expand the bubbles to cover us all and we should be able to make a clean jump." Joran sat back in his seat, there wasn't much more the Jedi Fencer could do. Unlike Tyridac and Korin, he was rubbish when it came to math and calculations. His droid tittered knowingly behind him, Something to the effect of a laugh.

"Will this really work?" One of the patrol pilots asked, his voice crackling with fear.

"It should, if we can keep it together and the calculations aren't off. Why, you worried-" Joran stopped. He didn't know the man's name. "I'm sorry, we haven't been introduced. I'm Joran Bender. You?"

"Naeduk." The Lead Patrol crackled back. "My counterpart is Jells. We're both Twi'Lek Officers from Ryloth."

"It's good to meet you, now let's get out of this alive." Joran glanced behind him. In the little time it had taken for the unknown fighters to regroup, Joran and his band had put a considerable distance between themselves and the attackers. Distance that the unknown craft were quickly eating up.

"They're closing fast, Korin." Joran's hand hovered above the umbilical disconnect.

"I see them. Tyridac, are you at a stopping place in your calculations." Korin's nerves were frazzled but if he needed to, he would turn his fighter around and do more than frazzle some nerves on the approaching fighters.

"Stopping place? I'm done! Vee is uploading now. I am gonna go head them off. Be back in a few." Tyridac's fighter peeled away and angled at the approaching craft. Korin's instruments told him that Tyridac's weapons systems were already powered and ready to meet the craft.

_Stay safe, young one._ Korin shifted in his seat as his droid alerted him. The calculations were done and now they were ready to make the jump. Oddly enough, Tyridac's fighter wasn't included in the calculations. Korin's face contorted into a mask of annoyance. "Tyr, please don't tell me you're going to try and be a hero."

"Try? There is no try, Korin." Tyridac's voice returned cool and confident.

"Damn it, Tyridac. How did I know you were going to try this? Get back here!" Korin snapped through the comm.

Tyridac didn't have time to respond before a loud voice crackled through the comm. "For the glory of the Sith!" The voice roared.

Korin spun in his cockpit just as Tyridac blasters lanced out at the approaching fighters. The attacking lead took the brunt of the blasts and shredded under the onslaught of laser blasts. Tyridac's fighter blasted through the wreckage.

"Korin, did you hear that?" Joran's voice was full of confusion.

"I heard it. Tyridac, we're leaving. Now!" Korin punched the actuator and sent his fighter through its warm-up for hyperspace.

"Right behind you!" Tyridac's voice was the last thing Korin heard as his fighter accelerated to light speed. Korin, Joran, and the patrol fighters' hyper-corridor were separate from Tyridac's. There was no way to know if he was along with them.

The minutes ticked away in light-speed and Korin was on pins and needles. "Joran, did you see him make the jump?"

Joran sighed. "I'm not sure." It was another moment before he continued. "I think I saw him right before I entered hyperspace but it's hard to say. It could have just been distortion."

Korin sat back in his fighter and was lost in silent contemplation.

"They said sith." Naeduk spoke into the comm. "You think they are really sith?"

That was the question both of the Jedi had been brooding over. It had been nearly a hundred years since the Sith had waged war on the Republic. Most thought that the Sith were tearing themselves apart with their own Civil War.

"I don't think they are Dark Jedi." Korin slouched in his seat. "Their movements were too uncoordinated."

"Agreed." Joran said.

"How can you be so sure?" Jells was the one to pipe in this time.

"Good question. They just didn't fly like us. I suppose that's why they didn't feel like Dark Jedi." Korin thought for a moment. He had never even seen a Dark Jedi. Let alone flown against one. How could he know whether or not they were Dark Ones?

Almost as if reading his mind, Joran answered. "I guess we can't be sure. The last person to even see the Dark Jedi would be Yokit."

"What about their ships?" Korin looked across the void to Joran. "They may have had a longer range but their weapons were relatively weak."

"Hmph! Speak for yourself." Naeduk scoffed.

It was true, though. Their weapons had been slightly off the standard that Korin was used to. It didn't feel like he was fighting against an equal. To Korin, it felt like shooting a womp-rat with a turbo laser.

"We won't know until we get back to the council." Korin sat up. "Speaking of which. We should be coming out of hyperspace soon." Korin grew uneasy. He didn't know whether or not Tyridac had made it out of the melee, but he was hopeful. And he trusted his young comrade.

"We're coming out now." Joran's vision was filled with stars streaking in. In less than an instant, his fighter snapped back into real-space.

Less than a minute later, Tyridac's fighter came out just behind their position. Korin let out a cry of relief at the sight of his friend.

"I told you I was 'right behind'." Tyridac sighed into the comm.

"Closer than you thought, eh?" Naeduk chuckled.

Korin frowned. "We don't have time to sit here and brood. We have to get to Courascant."

"Wait, what!" Naeduk yelled.

"Courascant?" Jells added.

"Yes. We have to report to the proper authorities." Korin explained.

Naeduk sighed. It made sense. He and Jells needed to report to superiors. Especially since it was clear that no one else from Elik Station would be able. Still, he wanted a chance to grieve his friends that were now dissipating vapor. It was customary for survivors of squad decimation to place the name of their squad on their craft. Now that Naeduk thought about it, they had never chosen a formal call sign. Reluctantly, Naeduk agreed.

"Let's move out. The sooner the better."

"Calculations complete. We're jumping in 5." The seconds ticked and soon the five craft accelerated to light-speed.

Naeduk sighed and stretched out. His eyes drifted closed and he fell into a haunted slumber; the faces of his once wing-mates flashed through his mind.

Aboard the _Flagged Truth_, Captain Lorgan, a man in his early thirties turned away from the display in disgust. The fighters had indeed jumped to light speed and were well on their way to where ever they wanted. Lorgan's mind raged at the thought of 5 fighters escaping from his capital ship. _His capital ship. _

"Chart all of the possible courses that those fighters left on. I want a list in six minutes." Lorgan crossed the bridge to his console. A series of readouts scrolled across the screen showing everything from engine power to weapon efficiency. His fingers started to work the console when a sharp voice broke through.

"None of that will be necessary." Ithica Rohadz, the second Force Twin, crossed the bridge; his movements seemed to shadow the path that Lorgan had taken.

Lorgan's flawless face screwed up into a mask of disgust. Lorgan wasn't a tall man. Nor was he short. If anyone could be described as "average build" it was Lorgan. His most distinguishing feature was his face. A sharp jaw, coupled with high cheekbones, dark brown eyes, thin lips, and a medium complexion made Lorgan a striking figure; the kind of man that demanded respect. In his years of mercenary work, he had achieved just that. Respect. Now, some young Force-user was usurping his power.

"Your disgust is tangible, Lorgan. Speak your mind." Ithica crossed his arms. As always, Ithica sent waves of malice at Lorgan.

The Captain made no claim to understand the Force. He barely understood the concept of it all. But he knew Ithica could impress certain feelings and images on people's minds. So potent that it could stay certain men's tongues. Men with less willpower than Lorgan.

"Yes, and I hope you can feel every facet of my disgust. We should have destroyed them." Lorgan turned to fully face Ithica. He hoped that his size, as average as it was, would add to the intimidation that he wanted to dispense. As always, when dealing with Ithica, it didn't.

"Oh, my friend, what little faith you have." Ithica took a step forward. He was less than an arm's length from Lorgan. Ithica could feel the man's breath. "We can't instill fear without leaving some survivors."

"Preposterous." Lorgan didn't move an inch. "Fear would still be there no matter who is alive and who isn't. They will fear us because we are a destructive force. They will fear us because we are powerful and more efficient than their star ships." There was no doubt that Ithica enjoyed this little game of cat-and-mouse. He always enjoyed pushing Lorgan's buttons.

"What little faith you have, Lorgan." Ithica turned from the commander. "We don't have the time to bicker like this. I want to be in the Sullust system in an hour." Ithica sauntered to the front of the triangle shaped bridge. Around him, consoles beeped and blooped as the crew readied for their next destination.

"And what of those fighters. We're not giving chase?" Lorgan looked helplessly around the bridge.

"No Lorgan. Those fighters are going to do just what we want them to." Ithica smiled. "Do you doubt me?"

"No, I just want to be assured that something will e done"

"What assurance do you require?"

"Verification."

"Ah." Ithica smiled. "Faith my friend. Faith is what you need."

"Bah," Lorgan scoffed, "I've never had much use for faith."

"All the same, you still need to have it. You still need to come to terms with the fact that I know full well what I am doing and what the results will be. Let those fighters go and let's work to our new objectives."

"As you wish." Lorgan turned from Ithica.

"No." Ithica crossed and placed a firm hand on Lorgan's shoulder. "Don't say it like that." Ithica turned Lorgan until their eyes were locked. "Swear it to me. Swear that you will follow my orders."

"I already have, Jedi." Lorgan sneered.

"No! You have sword fealty to the Sith Military. Swear it to me. Swear that you will follow me." Ithica let all of the malice he had flow out. Lorgan's eyes fluttered at the intense psionic projection.

"Enough of your mind tricks, Jedi."

"No! Never call me that." Ithica pushed harder on Lorgan's mind. He could feel the man start to buckle both literally and physically.

Lorgan's hands went up to his head as he tried desperately to force Ithica out. "Enough!" He yelled. "I swear it. Now, get out of my head damn it!"

Ithica released and Lorgan slumped to his knees. His hands curled into fists. He hated to be powerless. He hated even more to answer to someone that was not more than a child.

Ithica gulped in air. The waves of malice and hatred had taken a lot to force on the man. He was strong and the pressure that he had exerted on the man would have killed anyone else. In that sense, Ithica respected Lorgan.

Ithica could feel eyes on him and the Captain. He picked the closest one, a young Lieutenant watching from the console closest. With a look as cold as ice, he met the man's gaze.

"You dare to look at us! This has nothing to do with you." Ithica's hand shot up and a wall in the force, as hard as durasteel, slammed into the man's chest. The Lieutenant tried to scream but it turned into a sharp gurgle. The man's chair, anchored to the floor with heavy bolts, cracked and broke from its base. Both chair and man tumbled away and across the hard decking. When it finally came to a rest, no one on the bridge dared to look. Their gaze fixed directly on their own screens. Those that didn't have screens looked only at their own feet.

Ithica struggled to stand over the still slumped Lorgan. "Don't make me do this again." He hissed.

Lorgan simply nodded and continued to gasp.

Ithica walked out of the bridge, reveling in the fact that no one dared to even breathe in his direction.


	9. The Siege of Sullust

"That is why," Ithica's voice carried across the Plaza as the Sullustans gathered around, "You have been chosen to be an example." The large screen hid the contours and features of his face, Krii'nek knew it was Ithica. Even know, twisted and changed, Krii'nek could pick out the familiar tones that Ithica spoke with. He had only met the Twins once but they were so memorable he would never forget.

Krii'nek ducked low and slid between two short Sullustans, his nimble, Bothan frame glided effortlessly through the thick crowd. There were large screens like this one all over the city. It usually gave good news, updates on the Republic, happenings all over the galaxy. Today, however, it broadcast the ultimatum that Ithica now delivered.

"You will be pleased to know that your deaths will prevent any further bloodshed. Your lives will show the only alternative." The shadowy thing, that used to be a Jedi, straightened. "Your deaths will signal the Republic to surrender to the might of the Sith!" The pride that the voice emanated turned Krii'nek's stomach.

"You underestimate the will of the Republic." A Sullustan male shouted in the throng of onlookers. The crowd murmured responses, some were affirmations of strength, and some were negations of power. The tension was almost palpable to the Bothan Watchman.

The screen suddenly snapped off and sent a wave of gasps through the crowd. Without warning, the ultimatum was finished. Krii'nek had arrived late and missed the first part of the speech; though he was sure that he could fill in the rest.

Krii'nek crouched down among the crowd and fished in his pocket. The device he carried was a long shot, especially if they were jamming any transmissions from the surface. Krii'nek wasn't even sure if the small transmitter would reach his friend. It is worth a try. Krii'nek smiled to himself as he remembered an old Jedi saying: There is no try.

Krii'nek flipped open the small device and thumbed the transmitter to life. A small screen reflected a hologram of his face, distorted into an eerie blue. The recorder had already started.

"Korin, my friend." Krii'nek spoke low and fast. "Something is happening on Sullust. I could use your help." Krii'nek snapped closed the transmitter. The message had a better chance of getting through if he kept it short. He deposited the transmitter back into his robes and drew out his data-recorder. The small round media receiver would be his next gamble.

Krii'nek stood and looked to the public screen. Under it were several public access terminals. These terminals would hold the information about the transmission that was just broadcast to the world. Krii'nek made his way to the terminal and plugged in the recorder. His hands worked the controls and began the download the entire transmission. The data streamed slowly, due to access overloads. In less than 5 minutes the transmission was the hottest thing on the planet and everyone wanted to understand what was about to happen.

Krii'nek turned from the terminal, letting his recorder do the work, and took in the plaza. The main city was huge and sprawling, not as large as Theed or Taris, but it was still impressive. Krii'nek had turned the city into his headquarters when he had come to the planet as it's Watchman. He hoped that it would remain.

It was hard for Krii'nek to understand what happened next. A great swelling in the force poured through his senses and his muscles twitched. An electric hum started to fill the air around him and Krii'nek began to panic.

He turned and snatched the recorder from the terminal. It didn't matter whether or not the downloading was complete. If he didn't act fast, there would be nothing left to care about.

"RUN!" He shouted out, his loud voice carrying through the Plaza. "Get out of the city, now!"

Some in the crowd followed his advice. Others stood and stared straight up. Krii'nek didn't look up, he didn't want to. He already knew what was coming.

Bending his short legs, the Jedi Watchman leapt over the heads of the people in the crowd. He landed with a start in the center of the Plaza and was instantly in the air. He had to keep moving if he was to stay alive. 

Ithica stood in the front section of the bridge. The view of Sullust was magnificent. The light brown of the world seemed to fit the mood. Soon there would be large black score marks but that would add to the effect he wanted to send; the message to the Republic that his master had entrusted him with.

"This is it, Lorgan." Ithica crossed his arms in front of his chest. "This is our destiny." The words that weren't Ithica's poured out of his mouth. He felt each syllable in the back of his mind and each word stung him. He fought against the thing that spewed out the words, fought against the presence that drove his body. Ithica wanted to scream, the thing that was wearing Ithica simply smiled. "This is how our futures will be shaped, Lorgan."

The Captain said nothing. He stood staring out of the viewport. Looking to the planet below. No doubt he was working out a strategy for the attack. Always the workaholic.

Ithica smiled as he turned from the viewport. "Destroy it." He ordered as he walked away. "Erase it from existence."

Korin stood with the air whipping around him. The hill on which he stood seemed like it was melting as the sand blew off of it. The sand was everywhere; in Korin's hair, in his mouth, in his shirt. The way his body felt gritty made him all the more unpleasant. He could only guess what the Hooded-One felt.

The Hooded-One was as strange as the planet that Korin now stood upon. He was not tall, not particularly built. In fact, he was rather small. In his hand he had a bright red lightsaber. Under the hood, Korin could see nothing of his face. He couldn't tell if this person was a Human or otherwise. This one was an enigma.

Reaching out, Korin could feel the other Jedi that he stood with. The most prevalent within the force was Master Adaffa. Second, after him, was Master Yokit the Whill. Korin could easily feel the others that stood with him. Master Vandaar and then Joran Bender; they too stood on the dusty hill.

Ahead of Korin, deeper in the depression that was at the bottom of the hill, was the leader of the

Jedi Council. Master Renbe'cul stood with his arms outstretched, his saber extended.

At that moment, Korin realized where he was. He wasn't on some distant planet. He wasn't even awake. He had been fooled like this before. Almost every time he had a vision he believed it was real for the first part of it. Today, as he looked at the saber of Renbe'cul, a saber he had never seen, he realized he was deep in a vision.

Still, for a vision, this felt very much real. He could feel the weight of the saber hilt in his hand. He could feel the other Masters and Joran through the force so vividly that it was almost like they were there. He could feel the Hooded-One too. The hate and fear emanated from the Hooded-One so much that Korin almost had to take a step back. Almost.

Without a word, all of the Jedi extended their sabers. The first into the fray was Renbe. His saber flashed up and whipped around in a wide arc. The Hooded-One deftly avoided the strike and slashed back with his saber. The energy blades sparked and shuddered as the two met and riposted.

After another strike, the Hooded-One leapt above the Council Master. As he landed behind Renbe, the bright red saber snapped straight behind him.

Korin felt Renbe die before his eyes ever processed the information. It was like a great hole in the force just opened up. Like a star collapsed to become a black hole. Korin's heart sank as he watched Renbe's body slump to the ground. The Twi'Lek lay lifeless in the dirt of this planet Korin had never visited.

The next to go was Master Vandaar. He leaped into the depression with his golden double-blade spinning. The Hooded-One stepped to the side and brought his saber up. The red blade passed through Vandaar's waist and felled the Master like some great tree. His body tumbled to the dirt to lay as lifeless as Renbe'cul.

Letting out a great scream, Yokit flew into the battle. The small Whill didn't have a chance to defend as the saber blade traveled into his small chest. The little Master gave one last dying gasp as the Hooded-One tossed away the body like a discarded toy. Korin looked into they eyes of the Whill as he lay there. His face was knotted into an expression of betrayal. Korin couldn't guess why.

Master Adaffa slowly walked into the depression. He drew out his force whip and let the chain fall to the dirt. The energized metal chain sparked and danced on the ground. Turning bits of the dirt into superheated glass. Master Adaffa said nothing. He stood, simply, and stared at the Hooded-One.

Without a word, the two moved in on one another. Master Adaffa let his whip fly up and snap at the Hooded one. The energy whip cracked and snapped at the air. The Hooded-One had more of a problem avoiding the Jedi Master's weapon. He dodged to the side and tried to make a strike with his saber. Each time, his blade never met and was batted away by the energy whip.

With another dodge, the Jedi Master moved in to make a kill. This time, because of his zeal, the Jedi was bested. As the whip came around, the Hooded-One ducked under it and leapt up. His saber traveled through the middle of the Jedi Master and all of Adaffa's limbs snapped taut. The servos and cybernetic implants that kept Adaffa alive now shorted out. The Jedi Master fell to the ground and twitched as the last bits of electricity faded out of the Master. Korin felt a great heaviness in his heart.

Joran ignited his two sabers and, using every bit of Ataru he could, leapt towards the Hooded-One. His twin blades whipped around and batted away the red saber. Spinning, he lashed out with both sabers. The Hooded-One barely had time to get out of the way. The red saber tried to make it's way in at Joran's side. Joran was too good for that and he slapped away the saber.

Lashing out again, the Jedi Fencer was on the Hooded-One. He used all of his strength to overpower the Dark Jedi. The Hooded-One fell back onto his knee and struggled to keep upright.

Joran screamed as he brought both sabers up in a killing blow. Korin winced, even a Padawan could see the glaring hole in his defense. The red saber snapped up and through Joran's stomach. A bright red light poured out of his mouth followed by a great gout of blood. Korin's heart sank further.

The Hooded one stood upright as Joran's body fell to the ground. It was a defiant gesture to make to the Jedi Knight that stood now. Korin remembered the weight in his hand and he looked down to the golden energy blade. The weapon had been his tool over the last 17 years and he was now going to use it on this planet he had never been. Against a foe he had never known.

Though he couldn't see the Hooded-One's face, he knew that a smile was spreading across his evil face. Korin gritted his teeth and squeezed the saber as hard as he could. His knuckles were white as Korin started to walk towards the Hooded-One. Every time his feet fell, Korin became more determined. He would end this Hooded-One, or die trying.

"In the name of the Jedi Council, I hereby place you under arrest." Korin raised his saber and leveled it right at the Dark Jedi's chest.

"What council, Jedi?" The Dark Jedi spat from beneath the hood. Korin could almost make out the voice, though the name escaped him.

The Hooded-One raised his red blade and let it touch Korin's golden saber. The two blades sparked off of one another and Korin didn't move. He kept his gaze on the hood. His eyes tried to penetrate the great darkness but he, ultimately, wasn't able to.

Korin smiled, it didn't matter who this dark one was. He would dispense justice equally. Korin swung his saber wide and began his fight. He brought the saber around and struck with the Dark Jedi. He then brought the saber around in a quick arc into the red blade again. Each strike, each riposte, was a marvel of Shii-cho. Nothing was fancy. Nothing was grand. He simply struck with deliberation and purpose.

Neither the Dark Jedi nor the Jedi Guardian gave up an inch of room. They stood stalwart as they slammed sabers together. Korin followed the moves of the Dark one and used them to his advantage. He could almost tell what the Dark one was going to do next. It was like he had trained this Dark One himself.

With a spin, their sabers met and stayed. Bright flashes sparked off the blades as their faces grew together. "Who are you?" Korin asked. His question went unanswered.

The two then struck sabers once more, this time a quick low strike. They both spun in the same manner and hit sabers again. This time, like before, the sabers stayed connected. Korin and the Dark Jedi took a step into one another. "Who are you?" Korin asked again. He wanted to know. He needed to know. He needed to find out who just murdered his family. He wanted to look this one in the eyes.

With their sabers still connected, Korin reached up and pulled the hood from the Dark Jedi. At first he couldn't believe his eyes. He wouldn't believe it. How could he?

Korin opened his mouth to scream, just as the Dark Jedi was beginning to laugh.

Korin sat bolt upright in his bed. The sweat dripping off of his brow. He didn't know where he was and he couldn't see anything in the darkness of the room. Korin began to panic and he reached up his hand. As he found the first object, he drew it to his hand with the force. He thought it was his lightsaber, instead he got a houseplant. The large vase flew into his fingers and caused Korin to curse as it tumbled to the ground, spilling its contents on the floor.

Cursing even more, Korin threw off the sheet on the bed and stumbled across the room to the glowing touch panel. With a flick, he turned on the lights. In less than a second, the room was bathed in the soft orange glow of the lamps.

Korin sighed as his eyes searched the room. When he didn't find anything, Korin allowed himself to relax. Nothing was out of place, save for the vase he had mistaken for a saber.

Cursing himself again, Korin went to pick up the remnants of the houseplant. He wasn't mad because he mistook the houseplant for something it wasn't. He was angry because he had fought for months to smuggle the Blumbush out of Yavin. Most of everything from that dark planet was illegal. Especially this bush. It was said that the bush could give you long life if you kept it near you while you slept. Korin didn't believe such superstitions, but still, it was good to have around. The plant helped him relax.

Korin couldn't shake the image of the Dark Jedi from his mind. He saw it every time he blinked. It was eerie. Nothing had ever shaken Korin this much. He finally resolved that he needed to speak with someone about this.

Korin dressed quickly and then left his room. The interior lights of the Fearless were dimmed; everyone except back-up personnel were asleep. Korin didn't really know whom he wanted to speak to about the dream. He wasn't even sure he wanted to speak about it. The dream, no, vision, the vision had been disturbing. Korin couldn't even guess on what it meant.

Korin moved forward in the D-15 cruiser. The Fearless was quite a ship when it was in action. Right now, as it traveled through hyperspace, it seemed like a sleeping giant. Korin knew what the ship could do, right now it did nothing.

Korin looked at the walls of the ship. The D-15 cruisers were such an odd design scheme. The walls were cut at odd angles and the edges were very abrupt and sharp. There was a certain appeal to the design but Korin failed to see it. He meandered around the ship further. Some times he changed decks, sometimes he would stop off in rooms that were unoccupied. He didn't really know where he was going.

Korin's mind, however, knew exactly where it was going. He wandered about the memories he had and then his focus came on the future. Ever since he set out from Dantooine on the Fearless his mind was alive with thoughts of what was happening in the galaxy. Reports of attacks from an unknown enemy were pouring in from countless systems. Some were just small hit and runs, others were large scale bombings. All of the attacks had the same aggressor. The Republic had yet to know just who the aggressor was.

Working off of what little data was gathered, Korin was starting to form an accurate picture of how the enemy worked. They would roll into a system, do what needed to be done and get out without any danger of counter action. That fact struck Korin the most; they were efficient. Far more efficient than the Republic, Korin thought.

Korin found himself walking through the door to the repair bay. No one was on duty so he was alone to marvel at the craft that sat before him.

The Republic had a lot of different types of fighters. The Chandra-class was one of the best. Because of its cost, the Republic as a whole never adopted it. Instead, they used the snub fighters that stood off to the side of Korin's own. The snub fighters, nicknamed Proton Coffins, were what the Republic based its defense on. The fighters contained one pilot in an upright standing position. The only thing that didn't make them look like a coffin was the small engine pods that protruded from the back.

As he brought his mind back to his star-fighter he marveled at the sharp contours to the craft. It, unlike the Coffins, held the pilot in a more traditional seated position. The fighter, often times regarded as a Jedi Star-Fighter, was over three meters long. It had small triangle wings that housed the weapons systems along with some of the sensor equipment. There was space, directly behind the pilot, for the standard astromech that helped the pilot with calculations and other flight activities.

Korin stepped up to the mirror like canopy and thumbed in the combination to open the fighter up. When it had raised, Korin stepped in and closed it down. When his ears had popped from the compression, Korin sighed. Already, he felt better. Whenever he was in a place like the fighter's cockpit, he felt the most useful. He felt like he could face anything that might upset him or cause him stress.

He slouched down in the seat and let his headrest against the plush seat behind him. Too often, when he was in a dogfight, he never took the time to enjoy the ship's comforts. Korin closed his eyes and tried to focus on something. Something tangible, something that he could use. Korin drifted off into thought for a moment. A short moment, however, as a small beep resonated from the cockpit of the fighter.

Korin opened a single eye as he scanned for the source of the beep. Within an instant, he sat bolt upright and searched for the small transmitter that he kept in the cockpit. Korin had five of these transmitters, each of them tied to a Jedi that was operating across the galaxy. Joran, Adaffa, Krii'nek, Tyridac, and Vandaar all possessed one. Finding it tucked under the instrument panel, Korin brought it up to his face.

The scrolling text across the face of the receiver alerted him as to the sender of the message, it was Krii'nek. He clicked it on to converse with his friend. The receiver crackled as he heard the gruff voice of the Bothan Watchman on the other end.

"Korin, my friend, something is happening on Sullust, I could use your help." With that the receiver clicked off. The Message was done. Korin sat back in his seat, puzzled.

Korin had barely had time to mull over the message when something in the force struck him. A great pain through the force weighed down on his shoulders. Korin cried out as his mind ached and pounded. His knuckles popped as he clenched his fist and slammed it into the canopy of the star-fighter. Korin closed off his mind as the pain grew. He gasped in air and slumped in the pilot chair.

Within a few seconds, Korin had pushed open the canopy and sprinted across the bay. His feet and the force pushed his body along as his mind tried to shake away the feelings that had just come to him. The pain of death, the pain of fear; all of it had been too much and he had to close off his mind to that aspect of the force. Korin had only done that once, when the ship the twins were on had crashed into a city on Talus.

Turning the corner, Korin continued to sprint towards the bridge. He wasn't sure who would be working right now. He wasn't even sure what it was he wanted to do. Korin made it to the door as it started to cycle open. Once it was open, Korin stepped into the dimmed bridge. A few people worked in the front of the ship, working the controls and going about their own duties. Korin sighed as he wished to be so oblivious to the force. Oblivious to the pain.

"Captain Mayin." Korin stepped up to the spindly man that wore the captain's suit. Korin never regarded the captain as much, just another officer in the army of the Republic. "I need you to change course."

The people that had been ignoring the Jedi now turned to face him. Mayin sputtered for a moment before regaining his composure. "That's a tall order, Jedi." Mayin said as he straightened his back.

"I understand that, but you have to trust me, Captain. The Sullust system, that's where it's happening." Korin stammered out.

"Slow down, what's happening on Sullust." Captain Mayin turned to the communications officer. "Raise the _Life Day._" The communications officer followed the Captain's orders as she started to work the controls. "The _Life Day_ is the Republic cruiser that is assigned to Sullust. If anything is happening, we'll find out."

"Captain," The communications officer looked up, "No response from the _Life Day._"

Captain Mayin's smug expression melted away. Korin was right there to act on the information that had just come in. "Something is happening," Korin spoke slow and methodically, "If we do not divert, there might not be a Sullust left." Korin turned and started walking out of the bridge. "Once we drop from hyperspace I'm scrambling Magenta Squad." Korin didn't care if the Captain had any objections. Magenta Squadron was his personal fighter group. They would follow his orders, not Mayin's.

Korin just hoped that he knew what they would be doing when they arrived at Sullust.

The first bolt from the ships in orbit slammed right into the square that Krii'nek had just fled from. The super concentrated energy blast struck right in the center of the crowd, instantly turning flesh, bone, stone, and sand into vapor. The leftover kinetic energy exploded outward. The blast threw bodies and debris high into the air. The dust spread out over a kilometer and buffeted the back of Krii'nek.

The Bothan twisted in midair to glance behind him. The square was just a pile of debris and bodies now. Those Sullustans that hadn't followed his advice were now dead. Heaviness fell onto his heart and Krii'nek cursed himself for failing to sense this sooner. Krii'nek landed on a rooftop and instantly started to run. His fatigue melted away as he called on the force.

As he reached the edge of the roof, he gathered himself and leapt off. The nearest rooftop was about 30 meters below him and he focused his energy on making a soft landing. As soft a landing as time permitted. Krii'nek had to find a way out of this city. He had to get out before the ships reduced it completely to rubble.

More bolts passed down from the upper atmosphere and slammed into the buildings and roadways of the Sullustan capital city. Buildings crumbled and exploded from the onslaught that was coming down from the atmosphere. Krii'nek could hear the screams of the Sullustans as they ran from the death that came down on them.

Krii'nek collapsed onto his knees as the feeling of death crept in all around him. He couldn't take the screams and the fear that was flooding onto him. He wanted to close up and cut himself off from the rest of the Galaxy. He couldn't feel anything else. It was true pain; the kind that only comes from great suffering.

Krii'nek's anger built. He hated the Sith in the orbit. He hated them so much for their disregard for life. He wanted to tear into them with saber, claw, and tooth. Krii'nek stood and plucked the saber from his side. He was already off the building and flying through the air when the turbo-laser blasted through the building, right where he stood.

Krii'nek ignited his green blade and slashed through a piece of debris. The saber sliced through the sandstone and flung the two pieces out of Krii'nek's way. He twisted again in midair and landed on the side of a building that was still standing. The claws of his feet dug into the stone as he then pushed off the building. He continued through the air and landed on another roof top. The laser onslaught had grown and it was raining down all around Krii'nek. He sprinted across the roof as the blasts tore into the building.

Nearing the edge, Krii'nek flipped over the side. He free fell as the building crumbled behind him. When he neared the ground, he pushed off the side of the building. The force flowed through his body like great gouts of water from a broken main. It blasted out of his limbs and propelled him through the crumbling city. As he hit the ground, Krii'nek dashed around a crumbling roadway. His saber still clutched in his hands. The glowing blade giving him strength and determination.

Krii'nek gritted his teeth and let his entire pent up emotion boil to the surface. His hate, his anger, he didn't care any more. He didn't care if it went against all of his Jedi training. He didn't want to face the death without something to comfort him. His anger fueled him. It made him stronger.

Something broke in on his focus. A soft sound that invaded his mind and frightened him. It was a voice. _Why was there a voice here?_ Krii'nek gritted his teeth even more. They threatened to crack under all of the strain he put on them. Roaring, Krii'nek spun around and brought his saber up. He readied all of his muscles and his stamina for what awaited him. No matter what it was he would cut it down right in front of him. He would laugh into the sky as the invader lay dying. His Bothan brothers would tell stories of his gallant stand on a world far from their own.

Krii'nek raised his saber and looked into the eyes of the invader. He brought the saber down and roared as the little girl screamed in terror. Krii'nek's roar caught in his throat as he fought to stop the saber. He took his hand off of the ignition button and extinguished the blade just in time. He tumbled over and landed with a thud next to the cowering girl. She curled up into a fetal position and sobbed into her arms.

Krii'nek sat up and looked at his hands. _What was I about to do?_ Krii'nek asked himself. He was about to kill a small child out of the shear rage he felt. This wasn't what he was here for. He was a Watchman. A guardian of life. Krii'nek slipped the saber under his robes. It came to rest close to his chest, nestled in the fur that covered his body.

Krii'nek scooped up the little girl. She whimpered and wrapped her arms around his supple Bothan neck. Her small hands clamped down on tufts of his fur and Krii'nek snorted. The pain the little girl was causing him was immaterial when compared to the pain he felt through the force.

Krii'nek gathered himself up and began to sprint across the courtyard. The little girl sobbed against his shoulder. "What's your name, sweetie?" Krii'nek asked, his voice was a little more ragged than he thought it would be.

"Cuiv." She squeaked out. Tightening her grip around his neck.

"I'm Krii'nek. You're gonna be ok." Krii'nek reached the edge of the courtyard and took off through the city streets. He had to be nearing the edge of the great capital city. The buildings were getting smaller and smaller. The attack from the atmosphere wasn't getting smaller. It seemed to be getting more intense. Krii'nek leapt above a falling building and landed with a start on the other side. The little girl cried out and Krii'nek sent a wave of calming emotions over her. She relaxed in his grip.

The Jedi Watchman dodged around more debris as the city crumbled around him and Cuiv. She still sobbed against him. Krii'nek started to fret. He wasn't sure if he could escape with his little passenger. Krii'nek wanted to scream.

Another building crumbled in front of him and he dived around the structure. On the other side was a small courtyard that he quickly went into. The buildings all around the courtyard were falling but it seemed untouched. Krii'nek set Cuiv down and looked around. She stayed close to him, pressing against his leg. Krii'nek couldn't blame her.

"Stay here for just a second, kiddo." Krii'nek pulled away from her and jogged out into the grass. The blasts had ceased for the time being. Ahead, he could hear the city continuing to be leveled. Krii'nek turned and jogged back towards Cuiv.

An instant before the blast hit, Krii'nek's fur bristled. His senses through the force told him something was about to happen, he just couldn't guess what exactly that was. The bolt impacted 20 meters behind Cuiv and propelled her body forward. Krii'nek flew backwards also. He twisted in the air to catch Cuiv but she was already past him. He reached out with his hand the same instant she did.

The next event seemed to happen in slow motion. Another bolt, this time closer to the two, slammed into the ground ahead of Cuiv's flight path. The little Sullustan girl gave a look of surprise and anguish as the energy ripped through her body, turning her into vapor right before Krii'nek's eyes. He tried to extend the force around the little girl but it was too late. The energy buffeted him and burned through his extended arm. The flesh melted away and the smell of singed fur hit his nostrils an instant before he went tumbling back through the air.

Krii'nek didn't know how far he had flown. He wasn't even aware of landing on the dusty ground. He tumbled over and over before coming to a stop, his eyes gazing into the sky. The pain of that little girl flooded over his body, her anguish that lasted for a split second tore into his mind and brought tears flooding into his eyes.

He didn't look down at his arm. He didn't want to. He didn't even want to look at the sky. His eyes closed as a single tear escaped into the open air. Krii'nek would have sobbed but, thankfully, he slipped into unconsciousness.

In the atmosphere, aboard the _Flagged Truth_, Ithica smiled. The destruction was far greater than he could have asked for. It was magnificent. All of the pain from the surface came flooding into him and seemed to bolster his mind. He reveled in how it felt to him and his smile grew even wider.

In the back of his mind, what Ithica once was cried out in anguish. It screamed in pain and lamented its own flesh. The thing that wore Ithica laughed aloud.


	10. The Long Haul

"Magenta Squadron, form up." Korin brought his fighter around after just having exited his launch chute. Around him, he could see the squadron of coffins doing the same. They rotated on their middle axis and came around in a sweeping pattern to back up their leader. Each fighter, Magentas one through six, settled into a V-shaped formation behind Korin's long, angular fighter. "Green Squadron, stay close to home."

Korin angled his fighter to get a better look at Sullust. The planet, though about 10,000 kilometers ahead, was visibly suffering. The upper atmosphere was black with smoke and there were white-hot portions that looked like they had just recently been bombed. Korin could sense the death emanating from the planet, along with fear and hate. Korin wanted to go and try to save those that were alive still. Several large obstacles were in hi s way.

"In the name of the Makers." Korin's wing-mate blurted out. "There are 20 of them. Twenty Capital ships!" The Bothan shifted nervously in his cockpit.

"Stay calm, Mag 2. They haven't taken an interest in us yet." Korin fiddled with the controls in front of him. He flipped his comm over to the secure channel that the _Fearless_ operated on. "Magenta One to _Fearless_."

"This is Mayin, go ahead." The captain responded, his voice laden with fear.

"Please tell me that backup is coming fast." Korin dialed up the shields on his fighter and prepped for the eventuality that was sure to come. "I don't much care for the odds as they stand at the moment."

"Neither do I, Korin. One standard hour and Fleet Group Twenty will be here. That's seventeen ships and a whole slew of fighters. That should level the playing field. If only by a little." Mayin didn't sound too convincing. It was no secret that only one of the larger Dagger ships decimated the first casualty, the _Hindsight_. Even with superior numbers it would have been hard for Republic ships to fight off a fleet this big. "Fleet Group Fourteen will be here in a little over an hour and a half. That makes 36 counting us."

Korin's heart lightened, if only for a moment. "That sounds better. What say we keep alive until they arrive."

"Way ahead of you. Heads up, Korin. _Fearless _out." The comm clicked as Mayin ended the conversation.

"They're on their way, Lead." The Bothan wingman reported. Korin could barely make out the angular fighters that were coming straight on at them. His sensors gave more information than his eyes could.

"Stay on my wing, Traiesk." Korin looked to the Bothan to his left. "The rest of you keep your wing-mates alive. We'll come out of this yet." Korin looked back to the fighters. They were getting bigger and bigger. A series of clicks told him that his wing-mates were ready. Korin ramped up the energy in his capacitor and settled his hands over the twin control sticks.

_Seven fighters, _Korin thought to himself, _why so few? _The fighters hit the 11-kilometer mark and Korin throttled his fighter up to half speed. His wing-mates followed suit.

"Here we go, boys." Three angry clicks came over Korin's comm and he smiled. "And girl." His fighter squadron ramped up and took them ever closer to the Sith craft that sped towards them. "Remember," Korin checked his readouts one last time, "they have a longer range than us."

Korin checked his tactical computer once more. Seven kilometers left.

"This is how we live." Korin spoke into the comm.

Six kilometers.

"Breath by breath." Traiesk returned.

Five.

"Hour by hour." Magenta 3, a human female spoke.

Four.

"Flight by flight." Magenta 4, the newest member of the squadron spoke. An edge of fear crept into the Cathar's voice.

Three kilometers remained.

"Star by star." Magenta 5 spoke, this time a human male.

Two.

"We are the fearless ones. The ones that protect the Republic." Magenta 6, another human male, spoke. His voice was tinged with excitement.

One kilometer and it was ticking away fast.

"And that is how we will die. As protectors of the Republic!" Korin roared as he depressed the twin triggers in his hands. Long streaks of red laser fire arced from his fighter and he plunged headlong into the line of the Sith fighters.

His blasts passed wide and Korin rolled his fighter to the left. He barely avoided the Sith fighter's laser blasts. Korin quickly checked the status of his squadron as he brought his fighter in a wide arc. Everyone was safe and sound. Korin smiled to himself. Of course they were safe, they were the best.

Once his fighter around, Korin throttled up again. The Sith fighters were already around and speeding back towards them. Korin leaned on the trigger as he made another pass at the Sith fighters. The two lines of fighters sped past one another and Korin's shields flashed in front of the nose of his fighter.

"We can't keep doing this, Lead." Traiesk warned. "Our shields will burn out long before theirs."

Korin sighed. Traiesk was right. As far as Korin could tell, he and his squad were doing nothing to their shields.

Korin smiled as his fighter turned. It was time to show these sith just who they were dealing with.

"Up and around, Magentas. Up and around." Korin kept his fighter throttled back so he would have a tighter turning radius.

"Stutter shots only." Traiesk finished the order. Five clicks told the two leaders of Magenta Squadron that the rest of the squad understood and were ready.

Korin dialed down the intensity on his blasters and angled his fighter straight at the sith ships. The two groups sped towards one another and Korin expanded his sphere of influence outward. He sent a wave of confidence to the rest of his squad and clutched the controls even harder.

When the Sith Fighters dropped within range, Korin sent out a great volley of blasts and jacked his fighter straight up.

The rest of Magenta squad did the same and they spun around. They angled in directly behind the sith fighters and Korin dialed up his blasters to full. At that intensity, the blasters wouldn't last long. Korin didn't need them to last long, however. The first two blasts boiled away the shields of the fighter. The next two blasts melted away the armor plating and ignited the ion engines.

The fighter that Korin targeted exploded with a great flash and sent debris flying in all directions. Similar flashes happened all around Korin's fighter and he knew that the plan had worked perfectly. Only one Sith Fighter remained in the end. It was spinning out of control and would soon be picked off by the _Fearless_. Korin smiled and throttled back his fighter. He turned it; with what little momentum it had left, to face Sullust.

The atmosphere around the Dagger ships was now peppered with what Korin assumed were fighters. There were easily 300 fighters already. Korin sighed. This was going to turn ugly if the rest of the fleet didn't get here soon enough. Korin's comm clicked and he flicked it on.

"Nayreese here."

"Well done, Korin. I commend you." Captain Mayin spoke quickly. "But you're not going to like what is coming next."

Korin didn't need to ask. He could see another fighter contingent moving towards him. This time there were twelve of the twin ion engine fighters. Korin sighed. "No, Captain, you're right. I'm not going to like it."

Korin shifted in his seat. "They're testing us, Traiesk."

"I know, Lead." Traiesk brought his fighter up next to Korin's. "We're like Lab Nerfs."

"Wonderful." Korin popped his knuckles and took hold of the sticks. "Here we go again, Magentas." Six clicks came through as Korin throttled his fighter up. He sped right at the sith fighters, cold determination taking over his muscles.

Krii'nek skidded down the dusty hill; his claws digging great furrows in the dirt. Krii'nek's green saber flashed as he batted aside two more blaster bolts. The sith troopers began to back up, the Jedi Watchman was closing fast.

With a flick, Krii'nek leapt into the air, wincing in pain as one of his claws broke off. The sith troopers couldn't follow the Jedi Watchman and he landed in a crouch behind them. Krii'nek lashed out and felled the two troopers. Their bodies tumbled to the side.

Krii'nek straightened, his muscles protesting. It had been like this over the past few days. Attacking the sith troops that were sent to round up refugees. Staying alive. A tall order, even for a Jedi Watchman.

Krii'nek wasn't really sure why he was still alive. The last thing he remembered before he went down was watching the little Sullustan girl cry out in terror as her body was burned away. Krii'nek was sure that his face mirrored that same look of horror when she took her last breath. Of that much he was certain.

Krii'nek woke some time later in a dark room. From the smell, he could discern that it was somewhere in the deep tunnels that crisscrossed the entire planet. The Sullustans that had escaped the surface destruction and weren't in the areas that had been decimated had pulled him from the surface and were working to repair his broken body.

His arm had been cleaned up and healed with what little Bacta the refugees had. Krii'nek was thankful and, as a result, was now helping to rescue those that were still on the surface. He reached out with the force and felt the refugees he had been sheltering, a starving band of women and children, enter into the underground. Hit job complete, Krii'nek set out to save some more.

He made his way through the rubble and bombed out city. Looking for faint glimmerings within the force. He felt several pockets deep underground and a few that were moving through the city. He tried to make his way to them, but the way was more difficult than he could have predicted. Everywhere he tried to cross the gulf that separated him and the refugees there was some piece of architecture that impeded his progress. Krii'nek began to become worried that he wouldn't reach them before the Sith Troopers did.

Those fears were soon realized when he felt a spike of anguish within the force. His finely tuned Bothan ears picked up the sounds of blaster fire coming from beyond a large pile of rubble. Resolved, Krii'nek clipped his lightsaber to his belt and began to climb the pile. He had to move quickly if he had any hope of saving those that lay beyond. By the time Krii'nek reached the top both his mind and his body ached. There were numerous cuts on his skin from where sharp pieces of metal had caught him and in his mind he could feel death.

Ever since the bombings it seemed like every time there was pain, Krii'nek was the first to feel it. He was attuned to suffering, both his own and that of others. This time was no different. Krii'nek neared the top of the rubble and he slowed his pace. He neared the top and peered over. Horror was the first thing he felt, then a great sadness.

Bodies were always a strange thing to see. Their resemblance to life was so close that it could often times fool you into thinking nothing was wrong. Soon your perception kicks in and you realize that all isn't well. Very much the opposite in fact. Krii'nek stared in disbelief as one Sith Trooper tossed another slender corpse onto the growing pile.

Krii'nek didn't recognize the fact that there was one still alive until it was too late. The little girl, not much unlike the one he had tried to save days before, stood whimpering as the two troopers discussed what to do with her.

"We could take her back to become a slave. Labor camps are always looking for fresh meat." The trooper on the left stated. This trooper was taller than Krii'nek but of average height for a human. His counterpart, however, was much bigger.

"Nah, too much work to submit some little girl to a labor camp. Let's just get rid of her and find some more." The trooper nudged the little Sullustan with the barrel of his blaster as he spoke. The lack of reverence for life disgusted Krii'nek so much he thought he was going to throw up.

Slowly, to not alarm the two, Krii'nek unclipped his lightsaber and poised his thumb over the activation switch. He would have to find a way to move in on the two soldiers without alerting them to his presence. Slowly, with all deliberation, Krii'nek started to move over the threshold.

Like before, when Cuiv's body was burned away right before his eyes, it happened in slow motion. The trooper raised the blaster carbine in one hand; the shiny, silver blaster gleamed in the sunlight. With a smile that no one could see, the trooper squeezed out a shot.

The little girl bucked as the bolt lanced into the middle of her breastbone. She sighed as the last bit of life poured out of her. Her eyes, for a brief moment that felt as if it would never end, met Krii'nek's eyes. Krii'nek's heart sank as the trooper reached out and caught the girl by the neck before she fell. He unceremoniously tossed her onto the pile.

Something inside of Krii'nek snapped. He couldn't take what had just happened and he was driven crazy. His hand gripped the saber and all of the muscles in his body twitched. Krii'nek watched the girls body fall, instantly realizing that he had failed as a Watchman. As her body slumped onto the pile, Krii'nek roared.

His clawed feet propelled him from the rubble, his ardent green blade flared to life. One of Krii'nek's claws broke and sent a spike of pain searing through his leg. Krii'nek ignored it as he flew through the air at the trooper.

The Sith Trooper had barely turned when Krii'nek descended onto him. His lightsaber slashed down and through the Troopers shoulder. Clear through. Krii'nek didn't stop until his saber had come out through the Sith's leg. The two halves of the Troopers body tumbled away and Krii'nek snarled.

The second, shorter Sith Trooper tried to raise his blaster but a quick blast from Krii'nek's mind sent him tumbling through the air. Krii'nek gathered a perverse sense of pleasure from the snap he could sense from the man's chest. Gathering his feet under him, Krii'nek was on top of the man in an instant. His weight slammed the Trooper to the ground and Krii'nek tossed away his saber.

With a slash, his hand was around the Trooper's neck. Krii'nek's claws ached as he pressed them harder into the metal of the Troopers armor. The neck-plates soon buckled under the stress and Krii'nek's claws went through to the skin underneath. The Trooper writhed under the Bothan Jedi as the life was being strangled out of him.

Krii'nek snarled as his fingertips felt wet with blood. He snarled at the Trooper that lay before him. The faceplate reflected the angry face of the Jedi. Underneath, the Trooper gazed up with pleading eyes while Krii'nek was killing him.

"I hate you." Krii'nek said softly. And he did. He hated the thing that lay under his grasp. He hated the Troopers that had no regard for life. He wanted to scream at them. He wanted to fight each and every one of them like this. He wanted to avenge the people that he was sworn to protect. He wanted to have an Arc Cry for the little girl he could save. Most of all, he wanted to make each and every one of them suffer like the Trooper he was strangling.

"I HATE YOU!" Krii'nek roared as the Troopers body spasamed one last time. Standing, Krii'nek tore his claws out of the neck of his victim. He snarled as he drew his saber into his only remaining hand and ignited the blade; his eyes already hunting for another victim.

"Mag 4, break left." Without hesitating, Magenta 4 snap rolled her fighter to the left. Korin squeezed the twin triggers under his fingers and sent a pair of lasers streaking at the Sith Fighter. The craft turned blazing white for a single instant, then it was turned to rapidly cooling slag by a shuddering explosion.

"Thanks, Magenta Lead." Cyra angled her fighter back around and flashed Korin a quick smile.

"All in a day's work." Korin returned the smile and dipped his fighter back into the fray.

It had been close to an hour since Fleet Group Twenty had arrived. Fleet Group Fourteen was due at any moment. Then, and only then, would the battle be a little more even keeled. Korin smiled as he snapped his fighter to the right, narrowly avoiding a Sith Attack Craft. Korin was in his element with Magenta Squadron. They were like his family and, for all intents and purposes, they _were_ his family.

Korin saw a flash out of the corner of his eye. Instantly, he feared for the safety of his wing-mates. "Magentas report in." Korin barrel rolled and sent a stream of bolts at the fighter he was chasing. He was happy to see the bolts met their mark and burned clean through the fighter's hull.

"Mag 2. I'm good to go." Korin could see Traiesk weaving in and out of the Sith lines and slamming bolt after bolt into the sides of the huge, dagger ships. The shots probably meant nothing to the larger ships, but they were giving Traiesk some idea of where the weak points were in their hull.

"Mag 3, reporting in." Magenta 3, Jurus, dropped in behind Korin's fighter. That was the way he always operated. Freelancing until it was time to come together for a larger course of action. Korin didn't have a problem with Jurus' behavior; it kept the guy busy. In the end, that was all Korin could ask for.

"Mag 5. It's getting heavy in here." Korin watched as Mag 5 slammed bolt after bolt into the sith she was pursuing. The Ion Crafted bucked then disintegrated in a brilliant flash.

"Mag 6, here," Korin turned to see Magenta 6 struggling with a fighter that wouldn't get off her tail. Each time she made a move the Sith pilot would send out a grazing shot that would in effect, herd her back where he wanted her.

"I could use some help."

Korin throttled to full and tried to cut the fighter off. The sith pilot was too good for that and pulled his fighter up and away from Korin's blasts. Korin pulled up and tried to follow the Sith Pilot but the Ion backwash from the ships engines prevented him from staying locked on. Korin was trying to consider other possibilities when, suddenly, the fighter cut thrust and Korin sped past.

There was a moment of fear when Korin made eye contact with the Sith Pilot, fear that all he had been working for was about to fly apart right before his eyes, literally. His fear was soon quelled when a bright explosion came from behind his craft.

"You better watch your back, Lead." Magenta 2 chided, appearing where the Sith Fighter once was.

"Thanks, Traiesk. I'll keep that in mind." Korin brought his fighter around and fell into formation with the rest of the Magentas. The battle around them had ebbed for the time being. That did little to calm Korin's nerves, however.

"Where to next?" Cyra inquired as she checked her ships systems. She made minor adjustments to them as she did a cursory field repair job. Her fighter's shields had failed earlier and now she was playing catch-up with the others in Magenta Squadron.

"Apt question, see any good prospects?" Korin did the same to his fighter. Remarkably, he had made it out of that incursion relatively unscathed. His shields were ticking back to full battle readiness at a steady pace.

"I-" Traiesk never finished his sentence due to a loud click coming over the comm. Admiral Essus had some kind of command.

"Magenta squadron, pull back to battle grid five five eight mark three. You're on frigate detail for the _Fearless_." The comm clicked again, signalizing that the command wasn't up for further discussion.

"Great, frigate detail."

"Can it, Magenta four." Korin throttled up his fighter and started to make his way to the _Fearless_. "If we have a bird to protect then let's get to it." Korin's comm unit clicked several times to signalize that the Magenta's understood. His comm unit then beeped and, with a flick of the wrist, he went over to his secure channel.

"Look at you, sounding like a true commander." Traiesk snorted, the closest thing the Bothan had to a laugh.

"Heh, thanks old friend. I just wish we had the last two Magentas here to fly with us." Korin sighed as he realized just how empty the squadron felt without Ithica and Tyridac to guard his back.

"Where is Tyr anyway?"

"I hope he'll be here soon." Korin looked ahead as they neared the _Fearless. _"The broadcast went out over an hour ago."

Korin flipped back to the normal channel just in time to catch some curse that Magenta three uttered. He wanted to echo the sentiment that Magenta three uttered but it just caught in his throat.

The sight that lay before he and his squad failed to coalesce into words. Green squadron, the fighters that were assigned to protect the _Fearless_ were utterly destroyed. The fighters that were probably responsible were busy harrying the capital ship. Korin dropped his fighter into attack speed and powered towards the remaining Sith Fighters.

Korin clicked his comm, "Are there any Greens left?"

A single click came over the comm unit. Korin had already located the downed fighter. A long trail of debris hung behind the fighter. Its entire back section had been decimated and now it was drifting, watching its home ship fend off the fighters it was supposed to neutralize.

The downed Green finally spoke into the comm, "We were hit hard, Mag Lead."

"Apparently." Korin oriented on the fighters that were keeping the _Fearless _occupied. "Magenta Six, take care of the green." A click told Korin that she understood and was going to see to the downed fighter's well being.

"Let's get them off of Her." Korin brought his fighter up and around, diving headlong into the fighters. When he was within range, Korin let out a stream of blasts into the lead Sith Fighter. The craft blossomed into a brilliant ball of fire. The explosion ripped through the craft and turned what was left of the wing into glorified shrapnel. The wing peeled into the path of an unlucky, unwitting wing-mate. There was no time to act as the wing passed through the transparasteel of the cockpit and caused an explosive decompression. The useless hulk spun away by the time the Magentas engaged the remaining fighters.

The Republic fighters had the edge and within seconds, the Sith fighters were no more. Korin made a quick pass of the cruiser to check on the damage that had been done. There was some carbon scoring but she was intact; something to be thankful for.

_"Fearless_, you guys alright?" Korin hailed.

"We are now, Magentas. Thanks." Captain Mayin's voice sounded more hoarse than usual. Like he had seen better days.

_That's the general sentiment_, Korin thought. _We've all seen better days. _This war had been hard on everyone, even though it was quite early on. Not many Jedi had been deployed and Korin wondered how long it would remain that way.

The Republic seemed to forget the Jedi in times of peace. When no one needed a good warrior it seemed like the Jedi just fell to the wayside; as if they were out of work. Korin wasn't sure how he felt about that ugly little truth. He didn't like to think that the Jedi were tools of war. Even though it was a contradiction for him to think that way. He was a Jedi Guardian. A Jedi Warrior. A Jedi Weapon. He always felt in his element during conflict; during a fight. And that little fact ate him up inside.

"Heads up, Magentas. Here they come."

Korin looked in time to see the fighters that were coming at their position. Close behind was one of the large Dagger-shaped capital ships. It, too, was closing fast. "Key it up, Magentas." Korin said. _I taught them not to give into violence. To seek the high road. _"Let's take it to them." _Yet here I am doing quite the opposite._ In the back of his mind, Korin could hear Master Adaffa. _Hypocrite._

"What is that?" Traiesk spoke.

Korin already saw what Traiesk was talking about. A large, boxy craft was speeding towards the surface of Sullust. _Troop Carrier,_ Korin thought. "_Fearless_, are you seeing this?"

"We see it. That's why Green Squad was hit so hard. They were trying to take that blasted thing out." Korin winced. That meant they would hit Magenta at least as hard. There were only six of them to fight against a whole capital ship.

_I need to get to the surface. _Korin flipped his comm unit on. "Admiral Essus, I request additional support for the _Fearless._"

It was a moment before Essus returned. "Copy that. One squadron is on its way. Essus out."

Korin toggled his frequency back to the Magenta Squad. "Can you handle it, Traiesk?"

"Yeah, you planning on taking a stroll?" Traiesk looked at him from across the vacuum that separated them.

"I'm going to make sure that Transport never makes it to the surface. Then I'm going to mop up what is already there." Korin kicked his fighter to its highest speed. "_Fearless, _I'm heading down to follow that ship."

"Why?" Captain Mayin retorted.

"Because that's the whole reason we're here in the first place. To stop the suffering of innocent civilians." Korin smiled to himself as he juked past the line of fighters, his shields flickering only slightly. "When Joran Bender and Tyridac Rohadz make it here, see them down to me."

As the fighting resumed behind, Korin silently brooded in his cockpit. _This is what a Jedi truly is. A protector. _Korin's smile faded. _I wish I could protect without destruction._

Korin's shields started to heat up as he entered the atmosphere. Plunging to whatever destiny awaited.


	11. The Liberation of Sullust

Joran Bender awoke sharply. At first, he wasn't sure where he was. He thought, for a moment, that he was back at the temple. His back, protesting wildly, affirmed that he wasn't. He was still in the fighter speeding towards Tatooine. His astromech droid tooled softly at him. Trying to tell him something. Joran noticed that Tyridac was working feverishly in the fighter next to his. His forehead knotted up in concentration.

"What is it Aetoo?" He spoke to the astromech behind him. The small droid, 120A2, was his companion when he flew alone. The droid was also the best battle navigator that he had ever had.

The droid bleeped to him that Tyridac had received an urgent message close to the time Joran woke up. He also indicated that Joran had received the same message.

Wasting no time, Joran's hands played over the console and brought up the scrolling information. It was a short message that chilled Joran's nerves. He instantly became concerned for the new Knight flying next to him. He became concerned about his friend Korin Nayreese and the two Jedi Knights working with him. He became concerned about the Jedi Malukai and the two apprentices he had working with him.

Joran flicked his comm button and spoke to his new partner. "I suppose you know what's going on."

Tyridac met his eyes across the vacuum between their ships. "I've had Vee programming an entry vector to the Sullust system. We can drop and orient ourselves whenever you choose."

Joran smiled. He had been busy in the few moments it took for Joran to come around. The small astromech he carried was undoubtedly one of the fastest navigators that Joran had seen. He hadn't, however, seen how the droid could hold up in a fight. "Ok, let's drop now. The sooner the better."

The two Jedi worked their ships back into real space with a snap. They quickly turned their fighters a couple of degrees then shot back into hyperspace. They were moving as fast as was possible. The fight had already begun.

According to the message they received from Korin had stated that a Republic task force was moving to intercept the Sith fleet over Sullust. They had stabbed into the interior of the Republic and they were going to fight to get them out. Sullust was too valuable to loose to this new enemy. Korin had managed to round up the other group of Jedi that was searching for the Council. They would, undoubtedly, be on the surface of the planet; helping the troops push back the ground forces.

In the 20 minutes it took to get to Sullust, Joran's mind had been all over the place. He was wondering if he would need to get to the surface to help his contemporaries or whether he should stay in the sky and fight the Sith fleet. He and Tyridac would be welcomed among the fighter pilots. They would be equally welcome on the surface too.

"We're coming out now." Tyridac sounded excited and jittery.

"Keep your wits about you." Joran sat up straight and took hold of the twin control sticks. "Let the force guide you. Stay close and shoot straight."

"Roger that." Tyridac shook his head to clear his eyes and watched the hyperspace tunnel deteriorate. The two fighters snapped back into real space and into the fray.

Red blaster bolts flared in and out of existence. Tiny flames of fighters tearing apart were everywhere. The force was alive with screams of death and screams of life. Moments of triumph and crushing defeat. Everywhere was despair, and equally there was hope. The larger ships were locked into deadly bombardments.

"How many Hammerheads are there. Gah!" Tyridac juked his fighter left to avoid a large piece of hull plating.

"Aetoo counts 35 Hammerheads. There may have been more." Joran's eyes darted back and forth to find the first possible danger they would face. There were only 18 of the larger Dagger ships and they were furiously fighting the swarm of Republic craft. His eyes returned no immediate threat. Everyone was engaged in his or her own struggle and he and Tyridac were outsiders.

A large flare of firelight forced their cockpits to compensate to keep from blinding them. "Make that 34 Hammerheads." Tyridac scoffed.

There was a loud comm beep and Joran flipped on the channel. Out of his periphery he could see Tyridac do the same. "This is Joran Bender and Tyridac Rohadz, we're Jedi from the Dantooine academy-" Joran was cut off by a ragged voice.

"This is the _Fearless, _we have explicit orders to see you safely to the surface. Follow this course." The comm clicked dead. The answer to Joran's wondering suddenly seemed clear.

"That's straight through the middle. We'll have to pass close to one of those Dagger ships." Tyridac was now very worried.

"Keep your eyes open. The _Fearless _will help us through. Just stay alert." Joran worked his controls and dialed up the forward shields. They would ram through if they had to.

Six Republic snub fighters dropped in on the two, three on the left, three on the right. Their short bodies and even shorter wings were a stark contrast to the elongated design of the Jedi fighters.

"We'll shelter you into the atmosphere, Jedi lead." The closest fighter pilot gave Joran thumbs up. Joran simply nodded back to him. This was about to get exciting.

"They are huge." Tyridac said in awe as they approached the Dagger ship. "It could destroy a whole star if it wanted to."

A shudder ran through Joran. "A Star Destroyer. Scary name."

"Look alive, men!" An obviously Bothan pilot yelled.

Ahead of the group a long string of sith fighters were headed towards them. Their twin Ion engines burned feverishly. The fighters were coming dead on.

_If they want a firefight, _thought Joran, _then I'll give em one._ Joran punched the control and primed the trigger. He would fire a quick one-two at the lead and try to break through on the outside left. He would have to anticipate when their range would kick in. Already, through other engagements with the Republic, it was determined that the Sith had a longer range than the snub fighters or even the Jedi star-fighters.

Joran reached out with the force and searched for the fighter in front of him. He felt its hull gliding softly through space and felt the pilot's cold determination. It wasn't until the last second that he realized the tiny oscillations in the machines. He felt the blasters keying up before they ever pumped out a shot.

Squeezing the trigger, Joran blasted out two red fire-bolts and wrestled his fighter right. They sped at the sith fighter and, Joran knew, would burn out before they hit. This was simply a distraction. Like most of his plans, this one paid off. The fighter pilot took the bait and jerked his nose the same way Joran did. Right back into Joran's sights. The Jedi laid on the trigger and sent a stream of bolt flying at the sith pilot. The bolts met their target's shields and, after the first few were absorbed, burned right through them. They blasted through the metal of the fighter's hull and peeled back the plating, exposing circuitry and, unfortunately, the cockpit. The last of Joran's blaster bolts pierced the fighter's engine and blew the silver craft apart. Nothing bigger than a hand's-breadth was left.

The rest of he and Tyridac's escort had broken off and were fighting hard to keep the fighters off of the two Jedi. Joran thanked them in his mind and resolved to get to the surface. One thing stood in their way though. And this thing was over a kilometer long. The Star Destroyers hulk loomed before the two fighters. Already, Joran could sense the turrets changing position. Taking in the smaller fighters and warming up for the kill. He didn't need Aetoo to tell him that he was finished.

Before the lasers could fire, the _Fearless_ sprang into action. It maneuvered, faster than the fighters, in between the two Jedi, just as the first bolts lanced out. The _Fearless _returned fire but it was apparent that they were out gunned. The hammerhead's shields absorbed quite a bit of energy before collapsing and letting through the deadly barrage. Joran reached out but could do nothing to help the ship. They were finished.

"I'm breaking off." Tyridac began to move his fighter.

"NO!" Barked Joran. "They sacrificed themselves so that we could punch through. Don't let that be in vain."

Tyridac started to protest; he too wanted to do his part to help in the fight. It seemed unfair that an entire D-15 had sacrificed itself to protect two Jedi Knights. Taking a deep breath, Tyridac forced himself to concentrate. "How will we find Korin?"

"We just follow the smoke." Joran said, half to himself. On the surface, though they were many kilometers above it, they could see the capital of Sullust burning. Great gouts of black smoke filled the sky and choked out the sun. Joran knew that the fight had turned ugly. The Republic hadn't gotten enough people on the surface in time and now they were outnumbered.

The two Jedi fighters blasted through the atmosphere, gaining speed as they headed towards the surface. Joran shifted in his seat to get a better view of the city. The tall spire shaped buildings were crumbling and all around there was fire. He saw people, civilians he supposed, running from the flames and fighting. The Sith Troopers fast on their heels. The troopers were something else entirely. Joran felt nothing of the force from them but he could see that they weren't just cheap soldiers. They were highly trained killers, commandos even.

Spotting the closest throng of people, Joran decided it was time to act. "Tyridac," he piped into the comm, "You know how to do a hard landing?"

"Hmm?" Tyridac asked back as he rolled his fighter around one of the spire buildings.

"A hard landing, battle landing." Joran unhooked his shoulder straps and lap belt. "It's really quite easy."

"Oh really, enlighten me." Tyridac followed suit, unhooking everything.

Joran smiled. "What you do is pilot your fighter low, about 5 meters off the ground, then you pop the canopy and jump out. It's very effective if you want to get the jump on those ground troops."

"Uh, count me out." But Tyridac already knew there was no escaping it. He and Joran would perform this acrobatic suicide attempt.

"Not happening, besides, misery loves company. Dial down everything and reverse thrust right before you leap. Vee can pilot the ship down the rest of the way, right Vee?"

The astromech tooled back to Joran through the comm; something about how it was suicide and the droid would have no part of it. The whole exchange just made Joran smile.

"Ready?" Joran unhooked his lightsaber and took a deep breath.

"Ready." Tyridac already had his saber in his hand. He reached up and took hold of the two handles on either side of his cockpit. A thought went through his head, _I wonder if these were made just for this._ He forced the thought out of his head and focused. His fighter was gliding over the sandstone street and speeding over the heads of the refugees below.

"The lets go." Joran let out a yell as the canopy of his fighter flew open. With a yank of his arms, Joran flew out of the cockpit. The air whipping his hair about wildly. With a flash, his saber flared to life. The silver blade stopping the hearts of those that saw it. Joran's reputation of SilverSword preceded him.

Tyridac's reputation wasn't far behind. As he tumbled out of the cockpit he ignited his own golden blade. The sabers distinct hiss filling the air as he flew through the air. Like Joran, he tucked his legs up underneath him and landed with a roll on the street. He completed the roll and rose with she saber passing right into the chest of the nearest sith trooper. The trooper never had time to scream.

Tyridac spun and sliced the golden blade through the midsections of the nearest blaster wielding troops. The blade hissed through the silver armor of the troops and felled them like trees. Tyridac flicked away two blaster shots and moved in to strike at the shooter. The shooter backed off but wasn't quick enough. Tyridac's blade passed through the blaster he wielded and a quick flash of the force sent him tumbling through the air.

Joran was in the midst of a hail of blaster fire. He kept upright and knocked away the bolts with ease. He inched his way towards the shooters and kept his saber moving. One of the sith troopers stepped back and tossed away his blaster. He reached behind him and drew out a long-bladed sword. Joran stepped back and reflected two blaster bolts into their source. Two sith troopers fell over, their chests smoking. The final 3 troopers began to spread out. They were circling Joran.

The trooper brandished the sword at Joran. "Show me what you got."

Joran said nothing in return. Instead, he took a step to the left and brought his saber up, slicing the blaster trooper from navel to neck. Before his body hit the ground, the sword trooper moved in for the kill. Joran leapt above the trooper's head and cartwheeled in the air.

The trooper wasn't ready for a move like that and had no defense against Joran's slice. The silver blade only met mild resistance as it boiled away the metal of the trooper's helmet. The trooper's limbs snapped taut for a moment as his brain boiled and then his body dropped to the ground.

Joran landed and blocked away a barrage of blaster bolts. More troopers were moving in on him.

As the troopers moved in on Joran, they were oblivious to Tyridac moving up behind them. His golden blade slashed through the troops and dropped them before they overwhelmed Joran.

Another sword troop moved up behind Joran and swung a wide arc at Joran's neck. Joran flicked his saber up and expected the silver shaft of energy to cleave through his attacker's weapon. Instead the saber met metal and held, the energy blade sparking wildly.

"What!" Joran exclaimed. His eyes met the face of the sword troop. Joran's saber quivered in his hand and he instantly knew the answer to his question. It was cortosis. The only mineral that could block a lightsaber, the trooper's sword must have been laced with it.

The trooper pushed Joran's blade away and tried to move in on him again. Though the sword may have been cortosis the trooper was still no match for the Jedi Fencer. Joran didn't give the trooper the respect of parrying with his saber. He slapped away the flat of the sword with his hand and cleaved the trooper in half. Joran then spun and searched for another enemy. There were none, at least here.

"Where to now?" Tyridac extinguished his saber and stood next to the older Jedi Knight.

"Good question. Can you feel Korin?" Joran too, extinguished his saber.

"I don't think I have to." Tyridac motioned towards a building top over a kilometer away. The two Jedi knights could just faintly make out a saber flashing on the top of the building, it was gold.

The two Jedi Knights nodded to one another and began to move through the city. They worked fast, engaging small groups of troopers. When they got to the building they caught a glimpse of a Dark Jedi moving into the building. They both ignited their sabers and moved in, ready for anything.

In the atmosphere the _Fearless _was in trouble. They were listing and would soon be drawn into the atmosphere. On the bridge, the last 3 members of the command crew worked to keep the ship functional. A D-15 could handle an atmospheric entry, what would really hurt would be the reactor going nova when they hit the surface. It didn't take a physicist to tell you that the resulting explosion would vaporize most of the city they were over.

"Lock that down!" Lieutenant Brig screamed. He worked the controls in front of him; trying desperately to start the emergency boosters. The ship shuddered as they hit the atmosphere.

"All backup relays have failed!" A young lady yelled from across the bridge. She clung to the bulkhead, as if her grip would keep the wall from flying apart. Her once long brown hair had been singed away until she looked like a shorthaired dancer. Her face was also blackened with soot and a trace of blood was on her left cheek.

"Shunt power from the weapons."

"The weapons, sir?"

"Yes, if we don't get out of the atmosphere then we won't have any need for them, we'll be dead." Brig stood and tried to move across to another console. The shuddering stopped him and he leaned over, bile rising in his throat.

"No good. Relays have failed." The same young woman gripped the bulkhead even harder. It seemed their fate was sealed.

"Transmit the distress signal again. Then transmit to the surface. Tell them we're going down." Brig stood and moved to the console. This was no time to be sick.

Tyridac and Joran mounted the last few steps and looked at the doorway leading onto the roof of the building. They had followed the Dark Jedi up the steps. He was too intent on his destination to notice the two Jedi Knights that followed him. Now Joran and Tyridac were staring at the door. Neither one of them wanted to go through the door. What lay beyond, they were sure, was a large fight. They already heard the sabers meeting sabers on the other side.

Tyridac sighed. "No time like the present."

Tyridac and Joran kicked the door open. Instead of open, it tore from the hinges and flew outward. Joran and Tyridac moved forward and brought their sabers up. The first two Dark Jedi, a Twi'Lek and a Human, turned and met the two Jedi Knights. They began exchanging blows. Parrying and advancing alternately.

"Nice of you to join us!" Korin yelled across the rooftop.

"Ha!" Joran scoffed. "You would have taken your time too!" Joran spun and planted a foot into the Dark Jedi's stomach. He doubled over and received an uppercut from Joran. The Dark one flailed back and landed on his back. His red saber rolled from his hand and Joran sliced through the silver shaft, rendering the weapon useless.

Tyridac met sabers again with the Twi'Lek. The dark skinned alien snarled as Tyridac tried to force their sabers apart. The Twi'Lek simply bared down on Tyridac's golden blade, preventing him from doing what he tried. Tyridac smiled. "If that's how you want it." He spun away and let the Twi'Lek fall off balance. She started to yell but was silenced as Tyridac planted a kick right on her temple. She spun away and fell to the ground. She wouldn't be back in this fight for some time. Stepping over her, Tyridac slashed through her saber just as Joran had done.

Joran and Tyridac joined Korin and Krii'nek. The Bothan looked worse for wear. His left arm was missing from the elbow down and most of the fur on his left side was singed away. Tyridac nodded to Krii'nek, the Bothan returned with a short nod. His patience must be equally worse for wear.

Korin nodded to Tyridac. "Long time no see." The older Knight smiled.

"Heh, I was hoping to keep it that way." Tyridac gave Korin a slap on the shoulder. The older Knight smiled back. "Joran and I have been pretty busy."

"So I hear." Korin turned to Krii'nek. "Krii here has been fighting the Sith Troops since they landed. It's only now that the Dark Jedi have arrived.

"So how are we gonna get out?" Joran looked around the horizon. The city was a smoking ruin. The refugees were almost all gone by now.

"Good question." Korin had barely finished saying that when the door flew open. Malukai, followed by his apprentices Gila and Ulonis, came through. They all had their sabers drawn.

Ulonis ran to Korin's side and spoke to the older Knight and Malukai took up position next to Joran. Gila shuffled behind the group of Jedi, taking up position at the edge of the building. The roof of the building had a ledge running the whole way around it that came up about a meter and a half. Gila leaned on this heavily, nursing a slash on his ankle. Tyridac noted that the slash was from a lightsaber.

Almost on cue, the pursuers emerged. They were led by a tall Sith Knight. A shadowy figure, all but his lips were hidden by the hood he wore. His robes were unlike anything Tyridac had ever seen; they were almost skin tight and had small armor plates on them. His entourage was a group of four Dark Jedi. Tyridac recognized none of them, they were merely a faceless enemy, much like their leader.

"SilverSword and The Shield of the Jedi together. This is my lucky day!" The Sith Knight said in a voice lower than what could be natural.

Korin and Joran exchanged glances.

"And you too, young one. I didn't expect to meet the other Force Twin so quickly."

Tyridac started at this but was calmed by a raised hand from Korin.

"This world belongs to the Galactic Republic. In the name of the Senate I am hereby issuing an ultimatum for you and your party to vacate or face action from an appointed task force." Korin stepped forward.

The Sith Knight looked around. "And where is this task force?"

"Right here." Korin spoke as he ignited his saber. He held it simply in front of his body, classic Shii-cho; nothing fancy, nothing grand. Behind him, Korin could sense the others taking suit. Joran spun his lightsaber around and settled into his Ataru stance, low with his lead arm extended and hand mimicking a claw. Tyridac held his saber exactly like Korin and leveled his eyes on the leader. Krii'nek rotated his saber and brought it up over his shoulder, making his body as profile as possible. It was Soresu in origin but adapted to the fact that he had only one arm. Malukai held his saber like Laurune would have, horizontal across his body, simple but wreathed with deadly possibilities. His two Padawans mirrored the stance, snapping into it like they were old pros at Shien-Djem So.

"Very impressive. I hope you fight with as much zeal as you use for your stances." The Sith drew his saber and his entourage did the same. The two groups stood for a moment. Each side taking in the other. Then, almost without warning, The two groups moved in on one another.

Korin met the Sith Knight with an overhand swing. Their sabers clashed and sparked. Korin whirled around and slammed his saber again. The Sith Knight grabbed Korin's hand and spun him, as Korin was in the air he took hold of the Sith's arms and flipped him over. The dark one hit the ground hard. He scissored Korin's legs and the Jedi Knight tumbled over. In an instant, the Jedi and the Sith were back up and at it.

Joran met the Sith to the right of the leader. This man was a tall Zabrak with dark face tattoos. Joran recognized the man from the Courascant academy but he had never learned his name. Now the two were locked in lightsaber combat where there could only be one victor.

Joran parried once and then whirled around in a wide arc. Already, Joran was kicking himself for relying too heavily on Ataru. The form was powerful but utterly reckless. Joran's saber met and he was already whirling in the opposite direction. He let his feet leave the ground and brought a kick around aimed at the Zabrak's face. It connected with a very harsh cracking sound. The Zabrak cursed and stumbled away from Joran. When Joran moved in, the Zabrak riposted and forced Joran back a few steps. This would be one hard duel. Joran and the tall Zabrak exchanged hard strikes. Each one giving only an inch of ground. But, as Joran knew, an inch is all you needed.

Tyridac met the Sith to the left of Korin; this Sith was quite powerful but had very limited knowledge of Shii-cho. This gave Tyridac an edge as he threw his arms out wide and slammed his saber down. The Sith, a very gaunt human female, barely brought her saber up in time. Tyridac used this momentum and whirled around in the opposite direction. When he came around, keeping his saber low, he hit and rebounded from the Sith's swing and brought his saber up. He struck the Sith in the jaw with the butt and she reeled from the contact.

Tyridac then ducked low and swept her feet out from under her. She cried out as she hit. Tyridac leapt over her and kicked the saber from her hand. It skittered a few feet then he sliced it in half. Turning he leveled the saber on the female. Tyridac hesitated.

"Finish it." She said.

"No." Tyridac extinguished his saber. "It's not worth it."

"Then you have disgraced me."

"No. That I have not done either. You are too good a fighter to just kill out right." Tyridac clipped his saber to his belt. "Besides, we have much bigger things to deal with."

"What do you mean?" The Sith Woman rose to her knees. "How much bigger?"

"About 100,000 tons." Tyridac looked up into the sky.

The _Fearless _was now fully in the upper atmosphere of Sullust. The ships hull was glowing bright red and parts of the hull plating were starting to shear off. The gaping holes in the ship were streaming out atmosphere.

"Emergency boosters! Retro Rockets! Anything! Give me anything!" Brig clung to the console. The capital city of Sullust sped towards them.

"Lieutenant! The _Brigham_ and the _Cerulean Sun _are moving in to tractor us." Some one on the bridge screamed to Brig. The bridge was shaking so violently that Brig couldn't focus on the speaker.

"They aren't gonna make it!" He screamed. "All hands, brace for impact!"

Korin felt the ship above them. Both he and the Sith met each other's eyes and exchanged the same gaze. Korin extinguished his saber. The Sith was so surprised that he simply stood and stared. Korin turned and jogged next to Tyridac.

"You felt it too, eh?" Tyridac stared into the sky.

"Yes, I did." Korin looked into the sky. He could see the ship, a small pinpoint of movement many kilometers away. He could gauge the trajectory; it was headed right for them. Korin's stomach knotted; there were very few options.

"We could try to run." Tyridac didn't take his eyes off the approaching cruiser.

"We wouldn't even make it out of the city." Korin sighed, he felt Joran and Krii'nek at his side. The fighting between the Sith and the Jedi had ceased for now. "And when that core goes nova it is going to level this entire place."

Tyridac turned to Korin. Neither Jedi said a word as their thoughts became one. Korin didn't need to hear what Tyridac was thinking to know what he meant.

"You're crazy, you know that?" Korin turned back to the cruiser. He clipped his saber to his belt and then began to pop his knuckles.

Joran put his saber back into the harness on his shoulder and flipped his robe off. This is so far-fetched that it bordered on inane. Tyridac may have all the confidence in the world but Joran was a realist. He didn't like to think that miracles could happen. He didn't want to believe in them. Still though, it was probably the need to prove it wrong that drove him.

"What are you doing, Jedi?" The Sith Knight looked at the group of Jedi. He couldn't believe that they were just shrugging him and his companions off like this.

"What needs to be done." Korin stated as he felt Malukai and his students approach. They too were getting ready for the feat they were about to commit.

"That's impossible. It's a damn starship. You can't catch it! It's 100,000 metric tons." The Sith swung his arms wide. His cool voice was now peaked with fear.

"Size doesn't matter." Tyridac looked into the Sith's eyes. "What matters is our duty to the force."

Tyridac turned and looked back into the sky. He raised his hands over his head and closed his eyes. In the back of his mind he could feel the Sith extinguish their sabers. Tyridac reached out. He felt his Jedi colleagues around him. He felt the Sith as they stood and watched. He felt the city. It was a disturbing feeling; the feeling of death. Everywhere there was smoke. The acrid fumes filled his nostrils even here on this building. Reaching further with the force he felt the first tendrils of the ship. A large wave of anxiety, that was the best way he could describe it. A white-hot gout of fear surging towards him. This touch, this feeling snapped him out of his concentration. He breathed heavily.

"Don't try to take it in all at once." Korin said softly. "Work your way into it."

Tyridac nodded and went back to his concentration. He reached out and stopped just short of the ship. He eased into it. The weight in the force was crushing, but not wholly impossible to handle. He would work his way up until he was using the force to slow it down. Just like the coins he and Korin used.

That thought stopped him dead in his tracks. He instantly wondered if Korin had known that this day would come. He wondered if Korin knew, even now, what he was thinking. It had seemed such a simple exercise when he had done it with Korin but now he was doing it on a much grander scale. _How could he have known?_ He thought to himself.

"No questions now. Just faith." Korin reached his hands up. He was joined by Joran then Krii'nek and the rest. Soon all of the Jedi were reaching for the sky. Reaching for the ship that sped towards them, threatening every living thing in the city. Korin eased himself into the burden of the ship. Around him the others were doing the same. Joran was the first, Krii'nek was soon to follow.

The Jedi worked their way into a comfortable spot on the ship. They each found a spot that they could exert their force on. The ship was still too far away to be effective but they would still be able to find their foothold. The _Fearless_ was now picking up speed. Large parts of the hull were shearing off and tumbling down towards the ground.

Tyridac was sweating. He could feel long rivulets making their way down his back. He hadn't even taken much of the ship onto himself yet but it was still taxing him. He didn't know whether or not he would be able to make a difference. An older Jedi like Korin or Joran could do so much more.

All of a sudden, Tyridac could feel the Sith warriors around him. The Dark Jedi were scattering amongst the council appointed light-siders. Tyridac opened his eyes and looked around. The Dark ones were gathering their energy about them. Each one had their eyes closed save one.

"Mika." The female sith said to him. "My name is Mika."

"Tyridac. It's good to meet you." Tyridac offered her a smile.

Korin felt the ship grow near and he shouted. "NOW!"

The Jedi, dark and light, both let their power flow out and embrace the ship. The Force warped around the _Fearless _and encompass the front section. It was subtle at first, almost nonexistent. Then the power started to build around the ship. The D-15 Cruiser started to slow, little by little.

Tyridac cried out. The weight was crushing and threatened to overwhelm him. He forced himself upright and could feel his legs waver.

Korin, somehow through all of the pain, spoke. "Let the Force flow through you, you're muscles shouldn't do the work." He screamed the last part. "The Force is your power."

The words struck home in Tyridac and he felt as if all his struggles were lifted. He felt the force flowing through him like a great river. It flowed from everything that lived around him. Every atom that made up the planet they were standing on. Sullust itself was united around the Jedi on the roof, it made no separation of light or dark. Tyridac pushed with everything he had and the river grew.

The _Fearless _slowed more and more as it approached the city. As it approached the rooftop. The ship grinded ever slower until something amazing happened.

It stopped.

Tyridac felt the ship easing off from the Force. They had done it. Tyridac opened his eyes and looked at the hulk of the ship that loomed before them. It was closer than he thought it was. It hovered there only ten meters away from the rooftop. Tyridac could see into the bridge and he could see the surviving bridge crew. They looked about in amazement and wonder. One of them spotted the Jedi and they all took stock of the warriors that stood on the rooftop; the warriors that had just saved their lives.

Korin couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe that they had succeeded. It was a great victory for the Force. Korin looked to the leader of the Sith. "See," Korin choked out. His voice was scratchy and he couldn't focus his eyes very well. "This is what the force can do. This is what happens when you let go of your fears."

The Sith Knight looked at Korin. The words were simple, he had heard them a hundred times while he was in the order. Now, standing on a rooftop a million miles away from where he was trained, they finally made sense. He nodded to Korin and receded into the shadows of his hood. "You're words ring true today, Jedi. I thank you for shedding light on the past." The Sith motioned towards his companions. It was a small movement, almost imperceptible. "I will take your words with me today and consider them." The Sith began to walk away.

Joran began to move against the Sith Knight, but his tired muscles prevented him from doing so. There would be nothing he or the Sith could do against one another. This fight, it seemed, was over.

Before she started moving, Mika turned to Tyridac. "Thank you." She said, her voice as ragged as her appearance. "I hope we meet again on better terms."

Tyridac nodded to her as she walked away. As soon as all of the Sith were gone and he could no longer sense their presence, he slumped onto his knees and then fell onto his back. He was exhausted. The rest of the Jedi weren't far behind. Soon, they all lay on their backs, gazing into the sky.

"I don't think we really stopped it as much as we just slowed it down." Joran's eyes were fixed on the two D-12 cruisers that had entered the atmosphere. A loud hum emanating from the ships showed that they were using their tractor-beams.

"So does that mean we won?" Malukai croaked out.

"I'm not sure," Korin responded, "perhaps we did."

"How do you plot that course?" Tyridac looked over at Korin.

"Think about it young one. We just gave those Sith one more step towards redeeming themselves." Korin looked to Tyridac. "That's a million times more than what killing them would have gotten us. I would count that as a victory."

"I suppose you're right." Tyridac frowned. "But do you think they are redeemable? Do you think they could ever come back?"

"Never doubt the power of redemption. The Force can heal all." Korin looked back into the sky. "And if it can't then all we fight for as Jedi is defunct."

Tyridac looked back into the sky. He was resolved now. His heart was set. _I will fight to redeem, then. I will fight to win people back to the force._

It took four hours for the group of Jedi to make their way across the ruined city to the staging area for the Republic. As they traveled they observed that the Sith had pulled back, as did the Republic. Both sides retreated to safety.

Korin and the Jedi approached one of the D-15's that had tractored the _Fearless_. The ship was docked and crewmembers were salvaging parts from the downed Cruiser. As they approached the captain of the ship came out to meet them.

"Master Jedi! I am Captain Zereez." The stocky human ambled towards them. He extended his hand, along with a generous smile.

"Korin Nayreese, thank you, but I'm not a Master." Korin shook the man's hand. The Captain's expression sullied into a mask of confusion.

"But you have to be Masters. I've never seen anything like that before."

"I assure you," Joran stepped forward, "The idea came from this one." Joran indicated Tyridac. "He became a Knight about a month ago."

The Captain, though he didn't understand, was obviously thrilled at the news. "Well, I apologize for the mistake. I would like to invite you into my ship. To dine and drink, of course."

"Thank you, Captain. We would very much like to sleep as well." Korin turned to Gila. "This young one also needs medical attention."

"Of course, of course." The Captain herded them towards the ship. "There will be plenty of time for all of that on the ship. Hurry, hurry! We'll be leaving soon."

Tyridac met the Captains gaze. "How did you root them?"

"Excuse me?" He Captains jovial expression began to melt away.

"How did you defeat their fleet. You guys had to drive them away."

"No, young Jedi." The Captain said, suddenly soft and very grave. "We didn't beat them at all. They just left." Tyridac started to say something but stopped, he didn't know what to make of this. "I've never seen anything like this before. And I don't want to wait around to see it again." The Captains joviality returned. "Now, on to the ship! There is much to discuss."

"Yes," Korin let the words slide from his tongue as his eyes went from Tyridac's to Joran's. "Much to discuss."


	12. The Implications of War

"The implications of war." Korin turned from the newly locked door. "That's what we're here to discuss." Korin's eyes fell across the other Jedi that were in the bay. They were a motley crew; all in need of a good night's sleep.

"Every spectrum of the order is here." Korin approached the group. "Krii'nek, the Watchman. Dedicated to protecting life and the force."

Krii'nek winced and growled as the Medical Technician peeled another shred of burnt robe from the stub of his arm. A low growl issued from his throat and Krii'nek made eye contact with Korin.

"Joran, a Jedi Fencer. Much like myself and Tyridac, a Jedi Weapon." Joran Bender finished wiping some soot from his face and sighed as he tossed the towel to the side. His eyes showed the fatigue that he must have been feeling and Korin could sympathize. He too was very tired from the ordeal they had just gone through.

"Malukai, the Jedi Hunter. He and his Padawans represent the part of the Jedi that are dedicated to the destruction of those who follow the Dark Side." Korin smiled as he looked to the three Jedi Hunters. Malukai sat simply on the floor with his saber in his lap. Both of his padawans were at his side, Gila's leg was in the grip of another one of the Med-techs. He was busy filling the gash in Gila's leg with bio-foam. The bioorganic material bonded to the dead skin and, in affect, cloned it into working tissue again. Soon, Gila would only have a small scar to remember the wound.

"So we have to decide what it is we are going to do with our abilities." Korin took a seat next to Tyridac. The young Knight was busy running a comb through his hair; grains of sand were pouring from his scalp. All of the Jedi that were in the group needed to bathe.

"What exactly are we supposed to decide." Malukai brought his eyes up from the saber in his lap. His eyes searched Korin for some kind of answer but couldn't find any. It was going to be a long time before Korin even understood all of the emotions that were running through his head.

"That's what I am not sure about, my friend. I have no idea what conclusion we should come to. I don't even know what exactly my emotions are telling me." Korin's eyes fell on Malukai and the two Jedi stayed locked in each other's gaze.

"Korin, my friend, you misunderstand my question. I am asking what exactly a handful of Knights are capable of deciding? What gives us the right to decide what the Jedi Order will do?"

"You see, even that I do not know." Korin ran a hand through his hair. His fingers came out with bits of sand and dust. Korin grimaced; being this dirty was almost unbearable.

"And even if the Council allows just us to go, what difference do you think we could make?" Joran Bender shifted his seat. His eyes didn't leave their place. Joran was transfixed by something deep in his thoughts. His mind was elsewhere in the galaxy.

"Are you denying that our part is in this war?" Korin managed to draw Joran's eyes from their spot deep in thought. Joran looked at Korin, displaying an expression that no one in the bay could place; an expression that only Korin and Joran shared. Joran's mouth was pressed into a thin line and his eyes were narrowed.

"That is something for you and I to discuss in private." Joran punctuated his sentence a little more than he intended. The others in the bay shifted nervously, as if they didn't know how to take the moment the two Jedi just shared.

"I lost it down there." Krii'nek broke the silence of the bay. His eyes were transfixed on the stub of his arm. The burnt flesh was a stark reminder of what exactly Sullust had cost the Jedi. Already, the price seemed too steep.

"That's very apparent, my friend." Korin walked to where Krii'nek stood. The Bothan's thin frame tensed.

"I don't mean my arm, Korin." Krii'nek raised his arm, what was left of it, and continued. "I mean my inhibitions. I lost the control that I have prided myself on. I sunk to their level and I became a killer. I became everything my training dictated I shouldn't." Krii'nek lowered the stump slowly. His muscles twitched as nerve-endings fired to nowhere. It would take a long time before he came to accept that he no longer had a lower arm. "I killed them, friends. I killed troopers barehanded. I squeezed the life out of them until my hands were drenched and my claws ached." Krii'nek looked into Korin. Looked deeper than he ever had.

"When you found me, I was ready to give up everything I had and declare an Ar'krai. It wasn't until you spoke to me that I remembered what I was." A tear welled up in the Bothan's eye and he quickly quelled it. "If this could happen to me it could happen to others. The ways of the Dark Jedi are too tempting when you are at the end of your rope."

Joran winced at this. The memories of his Fencing Student's defection still fresh in his memory. "That's really who we are fighting, isn't it?" All eyes fell on the Jedi Fencer. "The Dark Jedi, the Sith, not those troopers but those Knights we faced on the roof-top. Those troopers carry a mantle that they do not live up to. A legacy, I guess, they don't understand."

"A legacy they wouldn't want to be a part of if they knew." Tyridac finally spoke. The contempt was so close to the surface that all in the bay could sense it.

"We can't say that for sure, you especially, Tyridac." Malukai shifted his position to better regard the young Knight.

"What do you mean?" Tyridac regarded the Hunter with confusion.

"I mean that when your-"

"Malukai, no!" Korin stifled the Jedi Hunter.

"What, Korin, he deserves to know."

"Know what?" Tyridac asked.

"I agree with Malukai." Krii'nek slumped onto a crate to rest his legs.

"As do I." Joran spoke.

"Know what?" Tyridac asked a little louder. No eyes went to the Jedi Knight. They stayed on Korin Nayreese.

"I do not argue against that, I simply disagree that now is the time for him to learn about it."

"When would that time be, exactly?" Joran leaned forward, boring into Korin with his eyes and question. "Do we have the right to dictate when the truth is told?"

"In this case, yes." Korin waved a hand in dismissal of the information that they wanted expressed.

"Guys, what is it I need to know!" Tyridac was just short of yelling the last sentence. The other Jedi finally looked at him. Aside from Gila, all of the Jedi wore looks of sympathy. Sympathy Tyridac couldn't place.

"Your brother was leading the siege of Sullust." Malukai spoke bluntly. The information bounced off of Tyridac and his mind struggled to absorb it. "Your brother is responsible for Krii'nek's suffering; the suffering of all of those people on Sullust-"

"Malukai," Korin cut him off. Korin shared the pain that was starting to build in Tyridac's heart. "Stop, please."

"Why?" Malukai waved a hand at Korin. "When were you planning on telling him? He deserves to know."

"I'm not doubting that. It was my obligation to tell him."

"An obligation you failed to meet." Malukai spat.

"That can't be." Tyridac said softly. He refused to believe what was being said. His mind couldn't even begin to grasp what was happening. It was like everything was falling apart, like his world and his life were disintegrating around him.

"It is, young one." Malukai stood. "Now you need to decide, Tyridac, what you will choose; your family or your training."

"What?" Tyridac's face twisted into a mask of uncertainty. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, that if you want to remain with us, you have to denounce your brother." Malukai let his hand travel down to the hilt of his saber, making sure that Tyridac saw every inch of movement. "And if you choose unwisely, I will make it the last mistake you ever make."

Tyridac didn't say a word to the threat. His hands stayed at his side, his fingers curled into tight fists. The anger and sorrow built in his body. He could feel the white-hot tendrils of anger brushing against his nerves. Anger at being questioned in his devotion. Anger at what his brother had done. Anger with Malukai's claim. His muscles twitched and started, craving him to release all of the anger he felt. In turn, he could feel the icy touch of sorrow in his mind. His brother's betrayal cut deep into him. Tyridac knew, in the back of his mind, even as he went to create his saber. He knew. The absence of his brother felt through the force was all he needed to confirm that something had happened.

Without speaking, Tyridac snapped his hand up and let his anger and pain fly forth. A solid wall in the force struck Malukai straight in the chest. Propelled through the force, the Jedi Hunter flew back across the bay and toppled a stack of supply crates. Ulonis and Gila were on their feet within an instant. Their light-sabers ignited with an all too familiar snap hiss.

Reaching out with the force Tyridac caught the part of his soul that was tied to his saber. He summoned the saber through the force and it flew from his hip. The saber hit his hand and the golden blade flashed to life. Tyridac held the saber straight out at the two younger Jedi.

"Stop this!" Krii'nek shouted, his gravely Bothan voice added an air of malice to the command. "This bickering will cease right here and now."

Krii'nek stood at the point of the golden saber. His fur bristled as Tyridac's saber hummed inches away from him. Krii'nek made eye contact with the furious Jedi Guardian. "Now." He growled.

Tyridac was finally brought back into awareness by the Bothan's hissing command. His face melted from anger to surprise. "I'm sorry." He apologized as he thumbed off his golden blade.

"I know." Krii'nek said. He stepped forward and put his remaining hand on Tyridac's shoulder. "It is ok, my friend."

Tears started to well up into Tyridac's eyes. His saber slipped from his fingers and clattered to the floor, narrowly missing the Bothan's exposed toes.

"See, I told you." Malukai was struggling to stand amid the tumbled containers. "Notice the behavior just like his brother. I've never been wrong about those who fall. I warned you Korin."

Korin stepped around one of the gray crates and paused in front of Malukai. The Jedi Guardian made eye contact with the Hunter and held it for a long moment.

"I told you." Malukai said at last, unsure how to proceed.

Korin's fist flashed up in an instant; connecting squarely into his jaw. Malukai huffed as he spun back through the air. The toppled crates caught the Jedi Hunter and broke his fall, before the cold durasteel had a chance. Malukai's apprentices rushed to their fallen master's side. They helped him into a sitting position.

"You-" Malukai struggled to speak. "You idiot!"

"Don't ever question the devotion of Tyridac. Ever!" Korin yelled. All of the anger he fought to contain was boiling to the surface. Joran was at his side, sending waves of calm at him; it did little to help.

"At the next jump point I want you off of this ship." Joran said. His voice a cold edge.

"What?" Malukai shifted uneasily on the deck.

"You heard me. I am acting commander and I want you to be gone."

"You can't kick me out. We're on the War Council. Like it or not we have to work together." Malukai swung his arms in protest.

"You are the last person I want to receive a lecture from, when it comes to working together I think I know what I am doing." Korin spoke a little more calmly this time. He could feel the white-hot anger ebbing out of his limbs.

"This is ludicrous. How are we supposed to work together if you are kicking me out."

"Explain your actions to the council. I'm sure Renbe'cul will be sympathetic." The edge was sharper in Joran Bender's voice, this time around.

The Jedi Hunter's eyes widened. It was no secret that Renbe'cul had warned Malukai not to question anyone else on the War Council. The Jedi Hunter was suspicious of everyone, chief of who was Tyridac. Ever since the realization of Ithica's fall, Malukai has shared his protests with Tyridac to anyone that would listen. Sadly, that was a wide arrange of people.

"I'm done with this. Done with this council, done with this war, and I am done with you!" Malukai stood and stormed out of the bay. Gila and Ulonis looked awkwardly around.

"Go be with your master." Krii'nek spoke as he slumped back down to the crate he was sitting on earlier.

"We don't wish to be with him. We would rather stay here and help you in your mission." Gila said.

"You have an obligation to your master first. Now, go, be with him." Korin waved the two padawans out of the bay.

Gila had almost made it to the door when he stopped and turned back towards the three Jedi. "How will we contact you if we need to talk."

Korin stood for a long moment. He didn't really have an answer to Gila's question. Luckily, it was Joran that made the decision.

"Here, there are only 5 of these but I'm sure Korin can make me another." Joran tossed the transmitter to the young Jedi and looked to his Guardian friend. "Right."

Korin stared for a long moment then nodded. "Yes. It's simple to use and works off of the holo-net channels."

"Thanks," Gila said, smiling. "Well be in touch."

With that, the young Jedi Padawan exited the bay. Korin couldn't help but feel heaviness on his heart. The day had been long and the price that the Jedi had paid was steep. Korin wanted nothing more than to drift off and be done with thought for a while.

The remaining Jedi sat in silence for a long time, no one bothering to state the emotions that everyone knew were felt.

It was finally Krii'nek that spoke. "My fur is filthy."

Joran chuckled. "Mine too."

"Your fur?" Krii'nek snorted.

"I am as intrigued as Krii'nek. Please, elaborate." Korin turned to face the crowd.

"There are a lot about Kiffar that you don't realize." Joran let a smile creep across his face. The Jedi Fencer paused for a moment, then burst into laughter. "No, but I do need a shower."

"I will agree with that." Korin stood. "Let's reconvene tomorrow before we reach Courascant. I'll ask Captain Zereez to add his opinion to the discussion."

"Sounds good. Let us depart then." Bender and the rest of the Jedi started to saunter out of the bay until Korin stopped.

"Where's Tyridac?" The Jedi Guardian searched the bay, the young Jedi was no where to be seen.

"I thought he was here. He must have slipped out when we were giving Malukai what-for." Krii'nek sniffed the air. "You want me to find him?"

"No, I can do it. Go get cleaned up. I'll see you all tomorrow at 0900." Korin drew Tyridac's saber, from the floor, into his hand. The Jedi went from the bay and separated to their quarters. Korin walked through the ship, reaching out to feel where his once-Padawan had secluded himself. The younger Jedi must have been deep in thought because he was easy to spot within the force.

Korin finally found him sitting in the galley, secluded at a table, as Korin suspected, deep in thought. Korin went to the Galley Hand and ordered whatever was good to eat. The Hand grinned at Korin and confirmed his suspicion that "good" was a very loose concept. The young man went off to fetch the food and Korin returned to his friend.

It was odd now to think of Tyridac as an equal. For the last part of his training, Tyridac had been a student. Now he was like a brother, a friend. Korin shook his head as he sat across from the Jedi Guardian. That was another odd title for him.

There was a long silence as the two Jedi simply sat. Finally, Tyridac looked up and met eyes with his once master. "I screwed up, didn't I?" The tears had dried in Tyridac's eyes but their after-effect was still present.

"We all have in one way or another. It's not a question of whether or not we have screwed up recently, it's whether or not we are better for having made a mistake."

"I don't feel much better. Kinda worse actually." Tyridac sat back as their food was sat before him. The meal was a simple Nerf Meat and Corellian Sprout combination. The Nerf meat was stringy and bland at best and the sprouts were the bane of many a young child. Tyridac sniffed at the meal and then regarded Korin with a suspicious gaze.

"Read my mind, kid." Korin raised an eyebrow and looked down at the questionable food. "Perhaps we can take solace in the fact that it is supposed to be good for us."

"Perhaps. But if I die, I'm blaming you!" The two Jedi laughed for a moment, then began to eat the meal that was presented to them. The Jedi didn't speak for the rest of the meal and they didn't need to. They _were_ brothers. They were closer than many other Jedi in the order, save Bender. They shared more than just feelings; they shared the pain of Ithica's turn. That brought them closer than anything else could. And it would be that pain that would keep them sane.

"The battle was quite a success. If I may say so myself. We brought Sullust to its knees and they didn't know what hit them. I think we should continue on to more core-ward worlds." The ever-cocky Captain Lukilo leaned far back in his chair. His bushy mustache made him look more like a commoner than a military man. Indeed, Ithica would have preferred him a commoner. Then he would be out of his hair.

"You would blunder core-ward and single handedly loose us this war." Captain Lorgan scoffed. "You're strategy is inane at best. I would sooner punch a rancor than assault Courascant."

"You saw how their ships scurried around, trying desperately to put a dent into us. They mean nothing. We would crush them." Lukilo sat upright now, his angry eyes meeting with Ithica as he riposted. This was getting tiring for the Sith Knight.

"What about the damage to the _Day and Night_. The only ship that pulled back without a scratch was the _Flagged Truth. _Last time I checked, your command crew was either dead or burned. What would happen if the Republic retaliates with the entire star-fleet? We would be picked apart. You and I both know that."

Captain Lukilo was furious. He was almost fifteen years older than Lorgan and was questioned at every junction by the younger captain. "Listen, boy, you know little of war. I know what this fleet is capable of. We would win."

"This fleet, old man, wouldn't last a chance in an all out assault on the core."

"Stop! I have listened to your complaints quite long enough. I have no need for commanders that do nothing but squabble like children." Ithica cast a baleful gaze to Lukilo who avoided his eyes. Disgust welled up in Ithica's throat for the weak-minded fool.

"This coming from a child." Lukilo said under his breath.

"What was that?" Ithica stood and walked around the table. "You have something on your mind that you need to discuss with me?" Ithica was less than four feet from the angry Captain. "If so, then please, speak your mind."

The Captain hesitated, then spoke. "I don't think that you have any authority to tell Lorgan and I how to act when you are so much younger than us."

"I see." Ithica turned. A wonderful hatred coursed through his veins. Ithica turned again to Lukilo. "I have no need for commanders who question me." Ithica turned and raised his hand to the Captain. With just a small amount of pressure, he collapsed the man's windpipe. The captain tried to scream but all that came out was a short squeak. Ithica smiled, reveling in the waves of pain washing off of the man.

Lukilo slumped to the ground and gagged. Lorgan turned his head. His stomach churning. Lukilo fell face first onto the bulkhead. One last sigh is all that Lukilo left for the world. The man's body lay uselessly on the floor. Ithica's smile faded. "Dead so soon, old man." Ithica laughed hard. The man was dead and Ithica couldn't have been happier.

"Lorgan, good Lorgan, let us continue our talk. Where were we going to strike next?"

Lorgan met Ithica's eyes. The Captain paused, for what, Ithica didn't know. "The Tatoo system. That is our target."

"Very good, I will leave the detail planning to you. I have another matter to attend to. Can you handle it? Or, should I find someone else?" Ithica leaned in to Lorgan, letting all of his malice flow in waves to the Captain.

"I can, Master Ithica." Lorgan gulped.

"Good, then see to it." Ithica turned and began to walk out of the briefing room. "Oh, and Lorgan."

"Hmm?"

"Don't die, I want you there when we march on Courascant."

"I won't milord."

"Good, and don't fail me." Ithica faced the man from the door. "Or you will find Lukilo's death mild by comparison to what I will do to you." Ithica cackled as he exited the room. His laugh seemed to echo all throughout the _Flagged Truth_. Everyone that heard the laugh, winced as though bitten. Before the month was out, the galaxy would know to fear the Sith Knight. The force twin.

_The trapped soul._ Something deep within Ithica wept. No one who looked upon the Sith Knight would ever have known.


	13. last scene Tyridac vs Ithica

"We'll come out of hyperspace in 5." A jittery young Lieutenant spoke from across the bridge. The Republic cruiser Carvonite was speeding towards the Tatoo system as fast as was possible. The transit from Corusant was quick and almost haphazard. There were only 15 ships that had been dispatched to head off the Sith armies. Tyridac and Joran were the only Jedi that were close enough to render aid to the fleet.

Joran was still jittery about the vision he had seen right before they had left. It had disturbed him to the very core. Very few Jedi knew about the ability Korin and he shared; even less knew that his visions were so full and complete.

Joran reached a hand up and rested it on his chin. "Do you think we will be enough?" He regarded Tyridac with a sideward gaze.

"If we keep to our lines and don't break with them." Tyridac shifted nervously on his feet.

"Just sit back and exchange salvos then?"

"Maybe." The chances of the fleets just _sitting back_ were few. The Sith fleet had already become known for up-close, voracious, fighting. If the Republic cruisers were to close with the Sith the outcome could only become bloody.

"You're right. They are gonna come fast and hard." Joran said, as if he was reading Tyridac body language.

"As long as we stick to our path, the force will be our guide."

Tyridac's statement flew hard and fast into Joran. He hadn't considered those simple words up until this point. An almost crystal clarity came to him as he stared at Tyridac. At that moment, Joran knew what his path was.

"Tyridac, come with me. Hurry!" Joran turned and began to walk out of the bridge.

"Wait, what?" Tyridac scrambled to catch up.

"Captain Zimmon. Tell us when we are in orbit and in holding position." The Captain nodded to Joran. Joran recognized that the Captain was a man of few words and even fewer mistakes. Out of all the leaders in the Republic, Joran was glad Zimmon was here on this day.

Joran and Tyridac made their way down to the hangar deck where the fighter pilots were gearing up for the fight that awaited them. As soon as they had an ample amount of room, Joran turned to face the young Jedi. He wasn't sure how to proceed but he was sure that he needed to teach Tyridac.

"What's up? What's going on?" Tyridac, once again, shifted nervously on his feet.

"Tyridac…I'm not really sure what to think about this or why I am teaching you this. I simply know I must." Joran slipped off his cloak and settled his shoulders. "There is something that only a few people know about Korin and I. You are going to enter the company of those few." Joran sighed. "I am a Jedi Seer. I have the ability to see events in the future."

Tyridac stood for a moment. The gravity of what Bender had told him was slowly sinking in. The Jedi Seers were a legendary breed of Jedi that could see isolated events in the future. They had begun the 100-year Jedi War and were responsible for the conclusion of that war. Leaders of all kind since the Jedi order begun had sought them out.

"I-I'm flattered, Joran. But why are you telling me this?" Tyridac sloughed off his cloak.

"That's a good question, friend. I'm not quite sure yet. I just know that I have to teach you this. I have to show you what I saw in my vision." Joran stepped forward so he was within reach of Tyridac. Without warning, he shot his hand up and touched Tyridac's chest lightly. The touch wasn't what startled him; the feeling of electric shock spreading through his body is what did it. Tyridac jumped back and would have fallen if he hadn't reached out with the force to steady himself. Still though, his legs melted beneath him and he slumped over. One image spread through his mind. It filled his senses and it was as if he was reliving a memory in every sense you could; almost as if his mind had gone back in time. He saw the first time Joran and him had met. It was a rainy afternoon in the temple garden and he could taste the sweet aroma of rain as it pounded the earth around him. He could feel Joran's presence in the force and could see the older Jedi with crystal clarity. The vision soon faded and he found himself sitting on the cold durasteel floor.

"What the hell was that?" Tyridac coughed out as his senses came back to him.

"That was my other power. A power you have too, but you don't know it yet. It is the power of Force Recall. Through it we are able to live memories almost like we were in them again. You simply remember the memories that you want to have recalled into the person and the force does the rest. Simple to those of us that have the power, ultimately complicated for those who don't."

"Yeah, I guess…" Tyridac ran a hand through his hair. His body was still jittery from the shock to his system and he wasn't sure what to make of the sudden reliving of a moment in time. It felt wholly alien yet, somehow, comfortable to him. Like an old friend returned after a long absence.

"Yes," Joran groaned as he helped Tyridac to his feet. "That was the first thing I am going to teach. The next…" Joran trailed off as he tried to think of what he was going to say next. He really wasn't sure why he needed to teach Tyridac this. Though, even then, he knew that was a lie.

"The next thing is this." Joran plucked his lightsaber from its shoulder-pouch and backed up a few steps. "Pay attention. Ataru is a hard form to learn. If you can pick this up you will be far better than I was at your age." He thumbed the silver blade to life to the gasps of those in the hanger deck that had never seen his lightsaber. Joran began to rotate his saber. First, he twirled it twice in front of his body. Then he reversed his grip and swung it behind him, taking great care to ensure the blade remained upright throughout the entire changeover. When it was behind his body he handed the saber off to his waiting hand. From there he brought the saber up with a quick slash from left to right. As it ended it's arc on the left side Joran bent his knees and pushed off the bulkhead, letting his swing carry him around to bring the saber on another slash. This one heading straight across the chest. He finished the revolution and spun the saber once more to get out the rest of the momentum that the slash produced. "There, now try it."

"Wha! Just like that. Right off the bat like that?"

"Yes, Tyridac! Hurry! We haven't much time."

Tyridac nodded and drew his saber out. The gold blade a stark contrast to the silver Joran owned. Trying as hard as he could to copy the movements Tyridac flew through the move Joran had just demonstrated. When it was done, Joran smiled. It wasn't the cleanest reproduction, but for a fencer completely unschooled in Ataru, it was pretty good.

"I know you Shii-cho kids don't think much of Ataru, but trust in that move. It has brought me lots of luck." Joran replaced his saber in its spot right below his shoulder.

"Why did you show me those things?" Tyridac asked as his saber hissed shut. "Why all of a sudden like this."

"I-I don't really know…"

"The hell you don't, Joran. You know full well Tell me!"

"Because…" Joran took a long pause. He didn't want to tell Tyridac this. He especially didn't want to tell him the second part. "Because you have to make a choice soon."

"What choice?"

That was the second part. "Tyridac." Joran looked up into Tyridac's eyes for what had to have been the second time in all of his acquaintance with the young Jedi. "You have to make the choice to kill your brother or not." Joran said it. Flat, simple, complete. That was the reason he had brought Tyridac here to show him these two things.

"I see." Tyridac looked down to the decking. He didn't want to believe that he had just heard Joran say this. He didn't want to believe that it was true. Though, deep down in his mind, he knew it was. He knew that choice would have to be made and when it came down to it, he would make it. For better or for worse.

"Master Bender?" Joran's comm unit crackled to life. Zimmon's soft voice coming through to pierce the noise of the launch bay.

"Go ahead."

"We just received a message from the planet's surface. It's a set of coordinates and two words." Captain Zimmon sounded utterly perplexed.

Joran looked to Tyridac. "What? We're over the Dune Sea. Who could be out there to send the message?" The question wasn't really directed towards anyone.

Zimmon decided to answer. "I have no idea, Master Jedi. The two words are simple: For Mom."

Silence fell over the two Jedi. Tyridac eyes falling back to the durasteel. His limbs started to shake and his stomach was already queasy. All at once he started to feel a new resolve. A new purpose took over his body and he knew. "Joran…I have to…"

"I know." Joran reached out a hand and placed it on Tyridac's shoulder. "Captain Zimmon."

"Go ahead."

"Can you spare any fighters to get down to the surface?" Joran removed his hand and picked up Tyridac's cloak.

"All of our fighters are taken and prepping for launch. I can spare an escape-pod, however."

"That will work." Tyridac spoke now. "Can you program in the coordinates for me?" Tyridac accepted the cloak and threw it around his shoulders.

"Can do. Pod number: 2283. Good luck." A sharp click told Joran and Tyridac that Zimmon had other things to deal with and was done with the two Jedi.

Tyridac looked over to the Fencer and offered a weak smile. "I will not run from my destiny. I will not shy away from it and cower. I will do what I can."

"Then that is all you will need to do, young one." Joran extended his hand for a shake. "May the force be with you."

"With the both of us." Tyridac shook. Like it was the last time he ever would.

The ride down to the surface of Tatooine was quick. Though it felt like an eternity to Tyridac. He sat cramped in the escape-pod's dark interior. The only light was the orange glow that came in when the pod hit the thick atmosphere. Tyridac closed his eyes and concentrated on the task he was walking into. It was strange; he had never wanted to disregard his responsibility. He often relished the fact that he had a purpose and a lot in life. However, sitting in the pod as he sped towards the surface to meet his Sith brother, he wished he could shuck this task. He wished he could pass the torch to someone with a little more expertise and a lot more determination than what he had at the moment.

Tyridac smiled as he realized that he had been gripping his saber to the point that his knuckles were white and his fingers throbbed. _This is it. _He thought. _This is how it is going to happen. Either he will listen or he will fight me._ Tyridac's grin grew larger. _And a fight I can win._

The pods warning light came on a few seconds before the pod impacted on the dusty surface of Tatooine. Tyridac stood and blew the hatch off of the small craft and squinted as dust instantly blasted into the pod. It was as if the sand was eager to get into a place where it already wasn't. Tyridac coughed. If he had to fight his brother, he was glad it was here. At least here no one would remember if he passed away into obscurity.

As Tyridac emerged from the pod he caught a glimpse of a man standing on a dune 20 meters away. Though the wind was blowing he could still hear his brother's unique voice as he stepped out onto the sand.

"You came!" Ithica shouted. "I didn't expect you would."

"What can I say? A Jedi can't turn down a summon." Tyridac began walking towards his brother. When he was within 14 meters he slowed and finally just stood his gaze intent on his sibling.

"So this is it, huh? This will be the battle that will determine the fate of the galaxy?" Ithica bellowed out a laugh. "It's just like drama, isn't it?"

Tyridac nodded.

"Except there are no over the top Rhodians to play our parts. No, Tyridac." Ithica narrowed his eyes. "We are the performers of this holo-drama. We are the ones that will shape the future of this galaxy. You and I, brother." Ithica smiled. "Classic! Good versus evil." His gaze narrowed again. "Which part will you play, brother?"

Tyridac smiled at his brother. A trite expression, though he knew Ithica would shrug it off. "I will play the only part I know, brother." Tyridac called his saber from his belt to his hand. The silver and black rod settling into his grip like an old friend's hand. Much like his brother's hand used to. Without flourish, without anything but cold determination, Tyridac thumbed the blade to life. The golden energy spilled out of the emitter and extended to its full meter length. Tyridac did nothing fancy with the blade, just lowered it to his side, extending it out to his right. _Shii-cho one,_ he smiled to himself, _don't get too fancy. _

Ithica smiled. His brother had sure gotten bold in his absence. He called out his saber to his hands and grinned like a Kath Hound as he extended the blue blade. Their sabers didn't give off any ambiance in the glaring day of Tatooine, they simply looked menacing.

Without warning, Ithica took off at his brother. The sand flying up as his feet pounded towards the man who used to be family. Tyridac did likewise. He didn't move as fast as his brother, he simply made his own pace. Tyridac brought his saber in a sweeping arc to meet his brother's wild slash. They parried sabers and stepped back for a moment. Tyridac let a smile creep onto his face as he went back to it. He swung high and Ithica blocked high. He swung low and Ithica returned the favor. They were equally matched. Tyridac had an advantage though.

Blocking a strike aimed at his midsection, Tyridac leaped back. He let the force flow through his legs and propel him back through the dusty air. Ithica followed suit and Tyridac knew he had him. They met sabers in the air and when they hit the sand, Tyridac made his move. He parried a strike to the head and reached out with his left hand and grasped his brother by the tunic. Planting a foot firmly in his brother's stomach, Tyridac flipped over and flung his brother into the dune behind him. Ithica sputtered as he vaulted back to his feet. Tyridac was on him in an instant.

Tyridac swung his saber left then right. Each strike slammed Ithica's saber to the side and he forced his strikes harder. His last one connected and Tyridac rotated his wrist. The simple flick of the wrist would spin Ithica's saber from his hand and Tyridac would be the victor. It seemed almost too easy. Tyridac smiled.

But his smile quickly evaporated as Ithica simply spun with his saber to keep his hand on it. The Jedi Twin whirled through the air and landed on his feet. He reared back and slammed his saber into Tyridac's. In his mind, Tyridac began to panic. Ithica and Tyridac exchanged a flurry of blows as the Guardian Twin retreated. His panic quickly building.

Ithica advanced as he swung his saber in and out. Each strike eroding Tyridac's confidence and giving the Sith an edge. Ithica spun to the left, trailing his saber slightly behind. As he expected, Tyridac was already there with the repost. Making light contact, Ithica leapt into the air and cartwheeled over. As he landed he cracked the butt his saber against Tyridac's shoulder. A sharp pain threw him off balance as he realized Tyridac had planted his saber butt back into Ithica's shin. The two Jedi backed off from one another.

"HA! Isn't this great? A glorious fight for all that is holy and all that is evil. You and I. It's exciting brother!" Ithica rotated his saber lazily. Each pass nicked the sand and caused it to form into glass within an instant. Tyridac stood stalwart and gazed at his brother.

"I wish I could say that I was thrilled. I wish I could share your excitement. Something in me doesn't want to celebrate. Sorry." Tyridac dropped into a low stance.

"Fine then." Ithica surged forward and whipped his saber up. In its wake, tiny particles of newly formed glass flung against the inside of Tyridac's leg. He shrugged away the burn and focused his mind on blocking Ithica's slashes. They came low and then high. They varied in intensity, some hard some soft. Tyridac tried to discern a pattern to the strikes. He tried to see the overall scheme behind the way Ithica fought.

Suddenly, he found it. Each time Tyridac made a connection with Ithica's saber, he would change his next strike accordingly. If Tyridac riposted hard, Ithica would counter soft and build up to his next strike. If he riposted soft, Ithica would continue his drive in. Tyridac smiled, he had him.

As Ithica spun and connected, Tyridac rotated his saber and caught Ithica off guard. Ithica couldn't rotate with his saber fast enough and Tyridac soon spun him off balance. It wasn't until he was halfway through the second rotation did Tyridac realize what he was in. With a simple spin he would be in the Ataru kill zone.

Tyridac made that simple spin. As he spun he brought the saber down and flung aside Ithica's saber. He was now completely open. Tyridac saw Ithica's lightsaber skitter from his hands. On the second spin Tyridac stopped short. He disengaged the saber and stared at his brother.

"I'm not going to do this." Tyridac tossed his saber into the sand. "I can't hurt you. You're my brother. That means more than any of this." Tyridac turned and looked into the sky. "Up above us people are going to die. Down here we need to work with each other. We need to help the galaxy. Not-" Tyridac turned to face his brother.

It was strange, the blow that Ithica delivered to him. Tyridac had never been punched in the face. He had been hit accidentally, before. This blow, however, couldn't possibly compare. The shear violence of Ithica's blow is what Tyridac felt the most. The second thing he felt was the blood.

The soft cartilage of his nose gave way under the pressure Ithica's fist exerted on his face. Blood poured out and sloshed over his lips, the coppery taste turning his stomach. Ithica brought his fist away as Tyridac fell to his knees.

A kick was what Tyridac felt next. Ithica's foot slammed into his ribs and Tyridac was sure he could hear some ribs pop. Unable to contain the pain, Tyridac screamed. His voice cut a sharp note in the silent desert.

Another kick, this time delivered with the knee, slammed into Tyridac's chest. What little air Tyridac had in his lungs now exited in a violent gush. Before he could slump over Ithica reached out and caught hold of his hair. Ithica lifted Tyridac by the lock that he held him by.

"HA! Did you really think that a little speech would stop me? I've fought too hard for that my friend." Ithica lifted Tyridac until his knees were barely touching the sand. Ithica could feel the force pouring through his body and the force sapping out of his brother. "You and the rest of your Jedi friends don't understand what real struggle is."

Another kick flew out into Tyridac's stomach as he tried to draw in a breath. As his body jostled Tyridac could feel his scalp start to rip. Panic was now pouring over his nerves and his mind frantically searched for a way out.

"I will show you what struggle is." Ithica raised his hand and drew his saber from the dust. The silver shaft flew into his hand and ignited. Tyridac raised his hand to shield his face. "You think you can fight against me?" Ithica raised the saber and slammed the butt down onto his brother's fingers. He could feel and see the finger bones buckle and break at the blow. Tyridac screamed again.

"You can't fight against me, brother. No one can!" Ithica slammed his saber butt again into his brother's hand. This time, he was sure he could hear bones break.

Tyridac's body slumped as his ruined hand fell from to his side. Tyridac could now feel a small trickle of blood running from his scalp. It poured over his forehead and ran through his eyes. The pain was unreal in the sense that Tyridac couldn't believe that it was happening. He couldn't understand why Ithica was trying to kill him. Why he was trying to do this. To the order, to the galaxy, to his own brother. It stabbed harder than any saber could.

Ithica smiled. "I will make this great for you." Ithica raised his saber back. With a quick flick of his wrist, he touched the saber to his chest. The acrid smell of burnt flesh radiated off of the burn he inflicted on his brother. Tyridac's body spasmed, he could no longer bring himself to scream.

Ithica raised the saber again and slammed it into his brother's leg. The saber started to burn through the flesh and Ithica wrenched it out before it cut into the bone. Tyridac's legs collapsed and the tear in his scalp widened. He could taste the blood that came from his head.

Ithica raised his arm again. "Yes, this is the end for you, Jedi."

"You're going to…" Tyridac choked out through the blood.

"What?"

"Y-You're really going to kill me, aren't you?" Tyridac's heart began to sink.

Ithica chuckled. "Good bye, brother."

"You're not my brother." Tyridac spat. He struggled his hands up from his side. The pain in his hand shot through his arm but he fought through it. Tyridac looked up through the blood into Ithica's eyes. The thing that now stood before him. It wasn't Ithica. It wasn't anything that Tyridac had ever seen. Now, he understood what Joran had told him. The choice that, at the time, seemed so unclear now became crystal. Tyridac fought his hands up to his brother's chest. "You're not my brother."

Ithica now laughed aloud. The laughter cut into Tyridac's very soul. "Why, whatever do you mean?"

Tyridac could feel the force welling within him. "This is my brother." Tyridac felt all of the memories he had of Ithica flow through his mind. He could see every single thing they did together. He could see the kind eyes his brother always wore, eyes that were dead now. The memories poured out of his fingers and slammed into his brother. Every single bit of force power he could muster was pouring from his fingers. The memory, the force, the imprint of what his brother was, flowed back into him.

Ithica screamed as he felt the force power hit him. He didn't know what it was or how he could fight it. The white-hot pain blotted out all of his senses and he didn't notice his saber fall from his grip. Memories flashed through his eyes and showed him everything he was, everything he should have been. The presence in his mind shrank away and Ithica flew back through the air.

Tyridac fell onto his side, the pain in his body already subsiding. He felt tired and probably looked even worse. Tyridac just wanted to close his eyes and let sleep take him. He didn't want to think about what had happened just then. He just wanted to be removed from it. When he poured the memories into his brother he could feel a presence; just a touch of something that wasn't his brother. Tyridac wasn't sure whether or not his brother was still alive, he wasn't even sure if he was alive.

Tyridac rolled over onto his stomach and looked at his hand. His fingers were contorted at weird angles and it throbbed with pain. Tyridac took in a breath as he reached up with his other hand. Taking hold of his middle finger he winced. It hurt just to touch it. Tyridac, using everything he could muster, pulled the finger back into place. The pain was so intense his vision went white and he could taste blood again. Tyridac repeated the process again and again until his hand was back in shape. Tyridac slumped over into the sand and lay there for a moment. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do. He wasn't even sure where his brother was.

Reaching out with the force he soon found his brother. He was lying in the sand some 10 meters away. Gathering his senses about him, Tyridac started to crawl. The sand made the going tough, but Tyridac fought through it. Soon, he could see his brother through the haze of pain in his mind. As he neared he could see that his brother was weeping. Thin lines of tears ran from his eyes. Tyridac drew even nearer and could feel his brother try to shy away from him. Tyridac pulled himself into a sitting position and looked at his brother.

"I'm sorry." Ithica sobbed out. His voice croaked as he spoke. "He was too powerful."

"It's ok." Tyridac slipped his hand under Ithica's head. "I know. It's over now." Tyridac drew his brother near to him and Ithica broke down. Great sobs poured out from him as he fell against his brother.

There, in the sand of a planet far away from where Tyridac and Ithica were from, they held each other. There were no klaxons this time. No loud alarms to break them apart. Tyridac held his brother as tight as his broken body would allow. He didn't want to leave this place. He never wanted to be anywhere but with his brother. His brother who was again his brother.

Ithica shifted away and looked into Tyridac's eyes. "What happens now?"

Tyridac looked into his brother's eyes and pondered the question. He wasn't sure what to think. He wasn't even sure if he would live past his injuries. Looking into the sky, Tyridac spoke. "Now…the war begins."

Ithica let his eyes travel upward and take in the scene that was unfolding in the upper atmosphere of Tatooine. The two fleets, Sith and Republic, met in the sky above the twins, the first salvos of a new war already flying.


End file.
